Poétique du langage initiatique dans la littérature orale : encodage et décodage de la parole sage

Abstract

Oral literature discourses are usually full of initiatory words and symbols. Understanding and interpreting sometimes requires a long period of instruction on language codes, which allows the “initiates” to appreciate the different levels of speech through accurate cultural data which are allusive and psychological. In practice, this training gives the initiate a special status because it makes a special poetic use of the language. Thanks to his training, the initiate becomes a key player in the social life and he is often consulted by members of the community on important issues. The knowledge of encoding and decoding mechanisms of the initiatory language makes thus a sage of him. This article aims at formalizing the key acquisition mechanism of this initiatory language through the stylistic and poetic approach of two theories: the “intentation” of Jean Cauvin and initiatory function of language of Bernard Zadi Zaourou.