A Meta-Thematic Exploration of the Ethnolinguistic Nature of Kazakh Mythological Vocabulary

Kaliyeva N. Mamayeva G. Zhylkybekuly B. Buribayeva M. Beisenuly Z. Abdimomynov Y.
1 August 2025 Florida Gulf Coast University

Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies
2025 #12 Issue 4 86 - 116 pp.

This study analyzed how Kazakh mythological words are addressed in academic literature from an ethnolinguistic perspective, to determine the myths associated with national existence, and to reveal their cognitive and sociocultural functions through a meta-thematic synthesis. A qualitative research design utilizing meta-thematic analysis was employed. The population consisted of studies published in English addressing Kazakh mythological vocabulary from an ethnolinguistic perspective up to March 2025. The sample consisted of 30 full-text articles selected from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Data collection was conducted using an Academic Publication Evaluation Form, and content analysis was employed to generate codes, subthemes, and themes. The analysis revealed five main thematic categories: Ethnolinguistic Reflections, Identity and Collective Memory, Symbolic Functions, Cognitive-Linguistic Features, and Discourse and Narrative Structures. Findings revealed that mythological vocabulary plays a central role in the construction of national identity, particularly through concepts rooted in shamanism, animism, and Tengrism. Elements such as the Batyr (warrior) archetype, animal totems, and ancestral references contributed to the construction of collective memory and symbolic resistance. Moreover, mythological terms were found to shape cognitive schemas and pedagogical functions, enriching metalinguistic awareness and cultural transmission. The study provides concrete implications for education, digital learning, and the preservation of cultural heritage. Despite limitations such as language restrictions and interpretive subjectivity, the research contributes an integrative framework to the fields of ethnolinguistics and cultural studies by mapping the cognitive and sociocultural dimensions of Kazakh mythological vocabulary.

ethnolinguistic , Kazakh , Mythological vocabulary , national code

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Department of Kazakh Linguistics, L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Department of English language and teaching methods, Sh. Ualikhanov Kokshetau University, Kokshetau, Kazakhstan
Korkytata Kyzylorda University, Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan
Department of Kazakh Language and Literature, M.H. Dulaty Taraz University, Taraz, Kazakhstan

Department of Kazakh Linguistics
Department of English language and teaching methods
Korkytata Kyzylorda University
Department of Kazakh Language and Literature

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