European International Journal of Philological Sciences
52
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TYPE
Original Research
PAGE NO.
52-54
DOI
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITED
23 March 2025
ACCEPTED
19 April 2025
PUBLISHED
21 May 2025
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue 05 2025
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
The Role of Folk Oral
Traditions in
Sa’dulla
Hakim’s Poetry (On
the
Example of Proverbs and
Aphorisms)
Nodirova Feruza
Lecturer at the Department of Uzbek Language and Language Teaching at
Gulistan State Pedagogical Institute, Uzbekistan
Abstract
: This article examines the role and function of
folk oral tradition in the poetry of Sa’dulla Hakim, with a
particular focus on the use of proverbs and aphorisms.
The study explores how the poet integrates traditional
wisdom and culturally embedded expressions into his
poetic language, thereby enriching the semantic layers
of his work and reinforcing national identity. By
analyzing selected verses, the article illustrates how
Hakim employs folkloric elements not merely as
decorative language but as a means to convey
philosophical depth, ethical values, and social
commentary. The research underscores the poet’s
ability to modernize traditional forms without losing
their cultural authenticity, thus contributing to the
preservation and evolution of Uzbek literary heritage.
Keywords:
Sadulla Hakim, folk oral tradition, proverbs,
aphorisms, Uzbek poetry, cultural heritage, national
identity, poetic expression.
Introduction:
It is well known that the Uzbek people
possess a rich cultural heritage, both oral and written,
accumulated over many centuries. Proverbs and
aphorisms form an integral part of this heritage. These
expressions not only enhance the emotional and
aesthetic appeal of speech but also imbue it with
figurative depth. Due to their brevity and profundity,
proverbs and aphorisms serve to more vividly convey
the author’s intended message.
Moreover, the use of such expressions is indicative of
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European International Journal of Philological Sciences
the folk-oriented nature of a work. The renowned poet
Sa’dulla Hakim made extensive use of these devices in
his poetry, earning his works a place among the most
popular and accessible to the general public. In
expressing the physical appearance and inner
emotional experiences of his lyrical persona, the poet
skillfully employed numerous aphorisms and proverbs.
His collections, such as Hamal Tonglari (The Dawns of
Aries), Sen Kutgan Bahor (The Spring You Awaited), Yoz
Oqshomi (Summer Evening), Ona So‘z (Mother’s
Word), and Ko‘ngil Yuzi (The Face of the Soul), contain
over one hundred proverbs, wise sayings, and
aphorisms.
Sa’dulla Hakim effectively used folk proverbs in his
poetry to express sentiments of patriotism, humanity,
justice, harmony, and friendship:
May success accompany knowledge and labor,
Thus spoke the people, wishing each other well.
Those who cling to knowledge’s hem
Will never be humiliated, the people said.
The poet often includes multiple proverbs or
aphorisms within a single stanza, which enhances the
clarity of his message and reflects traditional Uzbek
customs and values:
Remember this saying well:
Wise words serve the wise.
The one riding a horse has sound legs,
While the one walking has a sound mind.
In some instances, the poet uses proverbs
metaphorically, adapting them to the context of the
narrative:
As the moon fades and sets
Within the summer twilight,
A woman kindles a flame of silk
At the very tips of her feet.
In the above lines, the incorporated proverbs and
aphorisms convey nuanced meanings, helping to
clarify and amplify the poet’s ideas.
If you walk, you’ll hear wisdom everywhere:
Whether from this side or that.
With a good wife, this world is paradise;
With a bad one
—
the next world becomes hell.
Occasionally, proverbs are seamlessly woven into the
poetic structure in accordance with stylistic or poetic
requirements:
“Truth bends, but never breaks” —
Who first uttered these words is clear.
But I say: “A broken string neve
r bends again;
To bend is worse than to break.”
Here, the proverb “Truth bends, but does not break” is
subtly embedded in the meaning of the verse. Similarly:
This I found while roaming the land
—
A phrase native to my people.
Like pearls strung on a thread, I gathered them:
One who hasn’t seen a horse races with the rider,
One who hasn’t seen an enemy fights with a foe.
Such lines serve as further examples. The poet always
strives for simplicity in expression and frequently uses
proverbs as supporting evidence to enhance the
meaning of his poetry:
In my view, our ancestors
Were both simple and great.
Truly, they were geniuses:
“A woman’s cunning could burden forty camels.”
Sa’dulla Hakim also creates new variations of existing
proverbs and aphorisms, replacing certain words to
refresh their meaning:
If you win a mother’s heart,
Your desires will surely be fulfilled.
They say: that is your pilgrimage to Mecca,
And you are deemed a true pilgrim.
In these lines, the poet skillfully transforms the
traditional saying “To win a mother’s heart is like a
pilgrimage to Mecca” into a new artistic form,
preserving its essence while renewing its imagery.
In short, through such verses, Sa’dulla Hakim not only
makes effective use of traditional proverbs and wise
sayings but also reinterprets and expands their
meanings, creating new aphorisms. This enriches the
language of his works, makes them more expressive and
folk-oriented, and contributes significantly to the
development of the Uzbek literary language and the
culture of speech.
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European International Journal of Philological Sciences
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