The folklore map of Tomsk in the genre of modern urban legend

Reflecting the main mental trends of the present socio-cultural situation, modern folklore is characterized by its inhomogeneity. In most cases it is determined by the mixture of urban and rural traditions caused by technocratic progress and the process of urbanization. City in modern folklore is treated as a system of interconnected mental and cultural trends, traditions. Cultural knowledge, accepted in a folk society, is transferred with the help of folklore texts of various genres. Our attention is focused on the genre of legend, defined as a narration, describing possible and real past events. In accordance with the requirements of the genre, a possible event is depicted as a real one. In the texts of legends a mythological element is often represented, which determines their semiotic, axiological and pragmatic orientation. One of the main functions of a legend is didactic, due to which the behavioral algorithm in a particular situation can be stated. The aim of the paper is to describe the structure of urban space reflected in the folklore texts of legends about Tomsk. The material of the research are legends (functioning in modern folklore) recorded in the urban environment of Tomsk. The texts are taken from the city's Internet-content as well as from the author's personal collection. In legends urban space is modeled, reflecting the trends determining a specific view of a territory in general and its elements in particular. In the worldview, perception of the native city is based on a particular natural landscape: Tomsk is situated on a hill between two rivers. Geographical features of the city are mainly conveyed with the help of the images of water: rivers (Basandaika, Ushaika, Tom) and lakes (Beloe Ozero, Kopilovskoe). The structure of urban space is organized around its center with the leading universities and the university grove. There are secret underground routes, located under the main streets and squares of the city. The city center is characterized by its foliage and poor quality roads. Every element of the "folklore" city map has its semiotic and axiological values which help keep to cultural traditions. Awareness of the cultural code is treated as the factor identifying a modern culture-bearer as a citizen of Tomsk. Water, underground, park space is characterized as a dangerous territory prone to afterworld's influence. The images of architectural monuments actualize the pragmatic function of legends. By means of legends (in connection with the genre of superstitious beliefs) referring to mystique the possibility of a person to influence their fate is reflected.

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