Kote Lomidze
PhD student
Tbilisi State University
ORCID: 0009-0002-1754-8577
One Example of Social Deixis in "The Man in the Panther's Skin"
Abstract
The report concerns a particular feature of the oath in "The Knight in the Panther's Skin." In Rustaveli's poem, oaths and oath formulas are diverse. Viktor Nozadze dedicates a special chapter to this issue in his book "The Social Linguistics of The Knight in the Panther's Skin." Additionally, a chapter is devoted to the formulas of the oath in Shuka Apridonidze's book "Forms of Address in Modern Georgian: Structure and Function." The issue I will discuss is not noted in the abovementioned works.
V. Nozadze has identified over twenty different means of swearing in "The Social Linguistics of The Knight in the Panther's Skin": oaths on God, the sky, the sun, religion, and an oath on one's head... I was particularly drawn to the latter — the swearing on oneself, specifically the formula of the oath on my head. Observation of the poem shows that this formula of the oath is hierarchical and indicates social roles and status. Such an oath is uttered by a person at the highest rung of the social ladder, namely the king. In other words, the king swears on himself, or characters swear on the king. In the report, I will provide examples of both types and discuss why the king swears on himself. Such an oath highlights the king's central role in the social hierarchy of the poem. When the king swears on himself, it emphasizes his supreme authority; there is no one above the ruler on the social ladder to whom he would swear, and when other characters swear on the king, it indicates that they acknowledge his power and legitimacy.
As for the origin of such an oath, in my opinion, this hierarchical oath must have biblical roots. In the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, God swears on Himself: "For the Lord of hosts hath sworn by Himself" (Jeremiah 51:14). The motivation for such an oath is seen in Paul's epistle to the Hebrews: "For when God made a promise to Abraham because He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself" (Hebrews 6:13).
As we have seen from the examples provided, the words addressed to God in the Bible are associated with the king in Rustaveli's poem (this principle is consistently upheld not only in "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" but in almost all ancient Georgian literature). What qualification can be given to this kind of semantic shift? In my opinion, it is the sacralization of the king. The idea of the king's chosen status is generally prevalent in both ancient and later thought (let's recall biblical Saul); in Rustaveli's poem, God is the source of power ("for all power is from Him"). Thus, the king swears as God does, because he is God's vicegerent on earth.
Therefore, the swearing of the king by the characters or the king swearing on himself in "The Man in the Panther's Skin" is a good example of how language is used to convey social relationships and the hierarchy of power.
Keywords: Social Deixis, The Man in the Panther's Skin, oath.