This study analyzes the functional, structural, and semiotic roles of folkloric elements in the novellas of Erkin A’zam, a leading figure in contemporary Uzbek prose. Drawing on linguopoetic and narrative-theoretical frameworks, the research examines how mythic motifs, archetypal imagery, vernacular expressions, and ethnographic details are integrated into the author’s literary language.

The investigation combines textual and structural analysis with receptor-oriented feedback obtained from first-year philology students at Karshi State University, whose interpretive responses offered additional evidence regarding the perception and cultural relevance of folkloric content in modern literary contexts. The findings indicate that A’zam’s strategic use of folkloric components not only enriches the symbolic and aesthetic dimensions of his narratives but also constructs a cultural bridge that links modern literary discourse with the oral heritage of the Uzbek people.

The study concludes that folkloric structures constitute a central component of A’zam’s narrative poetics, reinforcing cultural memory while enabling the recontextualization of traditional motifs within contemporary artistic frameworks.

Folkloric elements, Oral tradition, Archetypal imagery, Narrative poetics

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