A Holistic Naming Proposal for Trickster Narrative Heroes in Turkish: Playful

Abstract

Various cultures with distinct names such as Coyote, Ananse, Susa-No-o, Bauba, Sun Wukong, Kelo & gbreve;lan, and Tastarakay. While the term trickster has been broadly used to categorize these narrative heroes in international studies, its adequacy has been questioned. In Turkish, translated texts and original works alike employ terms like trickster, cheater, or deceiver to depict this character. A crucial aspect to consider regarding these figures is their dual nature, encompassing both positive and negative qualities. This study investigates whether the terms trickster, cheater, or deceiver comprehensively capture the essence of these characters across diverse folk narratives. To underscore their dualistic nature, we analyze protagonists from various narrative genres such as Chickpea Boy, Fatmac & imath;k, K & ouml;se, Behl & uuml;l's Sleep, and Maaday-Kara, selected from Turkic cultures. Apart from the tale of The Chickpea Boy, our examination reveals that the central characters in all four narratives exhibit wisdom, benevolence, and positive traits. We argue that in Turkish, the terms trickster, cheater, or deceiver imply negative connotations such as fraud or deceit, thus potentially limiting their portrayal of these characters to only one aspect. Therefore, we propose the term playful as a comprehensive and culturally resonant alternative in Turkish. This suggestion is grounded in the significance of play within Turkish folk culture and game theories.