Pragmalinguistical Analysis of Qasidas in Classical Ottoman Literature

Abstract

The research of qasida genre as a performative is based on the fact that during the last decade the focus has been moved from the constative concept of language to its performative concept. In other words, the representative dimension of language retreats in front of the illocutionary aspect. The word qasida itself is derived from the Arabic qasd or “purpose”. From this point od view, qasida is a poem with a clear purpose or intention to involve the readers and the recepients, the latter being mostly rulers, nobles and rich patrons from whom a reward in terms of financial support or appointment is expected. Thus, unlike other genres (e.g. gazel, rubai etc.), qasida is deeply embedded in the contemporary context and speaks of concrete historical personalities and very often describes their succeses and attainments. In classical Ottoman poetry qasida usually consists of two chapters: medhiyye – laudation of a potential patron; and fahriyye – poet’s acclaim of himself and his poetic mastery. Pragmatically, the examination of these two chapters can prove advantageous in extracting and analysing the language devices used over the years by poets to praise their benefector or themselves or to express concrete expectations by avoiding using a direct reference. In this paper such devices and forms will be examined using the model developed by Penelope Brown and Stephen C. Levinson as well as Geoffrey Leech’s maxims.