LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL FEATURES OF THE EPIC FANTASY GENRE

Abstract

In contemporary literary and translation studies, considerable attention is devoted to the fantasy genre, which combines mythological and cultural elements within a fictional world. The relevance of this study stems from the growing popularity of epic fantasy and the necessity of a deeper understanding of its linguistic and cultural features, which shape the work’s fictional space, including symbolic and historical allusions and socio-cultural markers. The aim of this article is to identify the linguistic and cultural means that ensure the representation of cultural codes and symbols in works of epic fantasy, and to analyse their role in the construction of the fictional world and its artistic logic. The study classifies fantasy into epic, heroic, dark, urban, historical, romantic, humorous and cosy subgenres, enabling the systematisation of literary models and the identification of specific linguistic and cultural markers. The main findings demonstrate that epic fantasy texts are rich in toponyms, anthroponyms, historical allusions, stylised character speech, cultural concepts and symbolic imagery, which together form a coherent model of the fictional world. The conclusions emphasise the significance of analysing linguocultural markers for comprehending the artistic world of fantasy, particularly when rendering the cultural and symbolic components of the text. The study illustrates that linguocultural markers perform not only a nominative but also a world-building function, as they structure the imaginary space, outline the boundaries of cultural communities and shape the historical memory of the fictional world, stimulate the reader’s imagination and facilitate deep interaction with the text. An analysis of such elements allows us to clearly trace the interaction between language, culture and the author’s poetics, as well as to identify the mechanisms by which the reader interprets the fictional reality of epic fantasy. Particular attention is paid to the role of proper names, cultural references and stylised linguistic forms in creating a sense of depth and authenticity in a fictional world. These factors significantly enhance the cultural expressiveness of the text, its interpretative potential and the possibilities for cross-cultural translation.