Studies in Iraqi folk literature and its purposes - Kamel Al-Jubouri

The Arabic language, like other languages, developed over the centuries into two parts: the language of the dictionary - the language of science and literature, and the dialect of the common people; but the difference between it and others is that other languages gathered their independent governments, and benefited from development. Among the factors in uniting it are combating illiteracy, refining rules; syntax and morphology and rhetoric, using familiar words and leaving the abandoned ones, combining the softness of expression with the grandeur of meaning, and progressing in methods of eloquence with continuous social development, so that each year has its own dictionary, differing from the previous one with the addition of modern vocabulary. With these factors, it was able to reconcile the language of the elite and the dialect of the masses; except in matters related to higher sciences. The succession of foreign rule over Arab countries led to the care of the ruling authority and the people of the country's language, so illiteracy spread to the utmost extent, which caused the language to branch out and dialects to differ, so the language of cities became different from that of the desert, and the dialect of the desert varied according to tribes and clans, and according to regions, and the harmony and understanding between Bedouins and urban dwellers, and among the layers of Bedouins themselves, diminished. The vast majority distanced itself from civilization to the extent that it mimicked the first human in all aspects of life. If it were not for Arabic being the language of religion, even the classes of the elite from the regions of the Arabic speakers would have clashed, because linguistic development progressed in accordance with the social and political situation in each country; it differs from one country to another. No nation in the West differs in its classes, countries, and rural areas in this regard. If there is any disparity in the language of one of its dialects, it is limited to a few words that are remnants of the era of division, which have been covered by dictionaries, and in known intonations that do not change the status of words, aside from ambiguity in meanings. This language, with its scope, has continued to renew over time and expand to the widest Arab and non-Arab regions until it filled the world thanks to the thinkers, writers, and cultured people. Just as classical Arabic literature has styles, arts, and vocabulary methods, folk literature also has broad horizons and multiple aspects, in which it has taken various aspects of life, touching on thoughts and images, in a style and method enjoyed by the general public across different levels of culture and perception; because it is the language of the people, their dialect, and their common speech. This, and the Iraqi dialect, differ significantly from each other, especially when compared to the Egyptian, Lebanese, Syrian dialects, or others, as well as in the cities and countryside of Iraq. In the north, there is a clear mixing of Bedouin dialects that entered the popular dialect of northern Iraq, and it did not participate with other Iraqi regions in all arts; rather, it was limited to several styles in prose and folk poetry. In the southeast, the popular dialect has specific features and characteristics that made some of its words differ from other regions. In the middle, folk literature in prose and poetry was like a shiny interwoven fabric in its words, and its expressions almost took on a special color different from the dialect of the leader, as in the poetry of Al-Mulla ‘Abbud Al-Kurki. In the Iraqi countryside and the Euphrates, the popular dialect is considered the mother among dialects because it is the main center for folk literature, its vocabulary, and its linguistic roots. Their colloquial dialect is called “Al-Hassakah,” named after a village near Diwaniyah. Folk literature, especially in this language, has advanced for a short period until it found its ideal in poetry, because it is the psychological impulse emanating from emotion and feeling driven by nature, religion, love, pain, joy, etc., which accompany humans in all their developments, expressing life in all its pages, and matching curses in all its stages. Since the early centuries, it has followed a successful approach and has developed to keep pace with classical literature, producing short folk stories, articles, plays, speeches, and folk messages as well. It can be said that folk literature contains masterpieces that the classical language has produced, and those who expect it to bring their meanings are included in this study, which the researcher attempts to reveal this literature, and introduce its purposes and types in a way that specialists, researchers, historians, writers, poets, and every member of this society will understand. This study also includes the foundations of folk literature, its prose, and poetry. In the study of prose: 1- Artistic free prose, 2- Rhymed prose. In the study of poetry: 1- Lyric (emotional) poetry, 2- Educational poetry, 3- Dramatic poetry, 4- Epic poetry, 5- Political poetry. First edition | 2009 Cover type: Cardboard Size: 17 × 24