Mongols are people with good sense of humor. There are abundant humorous phrases and expressions with their distinct and local characteristics among Mongols. Independent and serial works of humorous expressions include Belen Senge (Witty Senge), Dalan Khudalchiin yaria (speech of the Dalan Khudalch, the liar), Tsartsaa Namjiliin yavdal (The walk of Grasshopper Namjil) and Badarchin (mendicant). The humorous phrases and expressions are often full of parody and humorous devices that expose shortcomings or experiences of individuals or society in witty manners. For Mongols the Badarchin (mendicant) means the action of someone used to saying humorous phrases in order to find a food and a place to sleep while wandering countryside. Dalan khudalch or Belen Senge is the main role of the humorous tales and his role has reflected to the literature of new era. Not only talking about witty stuff happened in life but also the improper actions and failures in the society were criticized by humorous phrases.

Riddles are the work of folk oral poetry with short phrases and often deep and humorous contents which test one’s intellectual capacity and intend to develop one’s speculative thinking. The riddle usually consists of 2 to 4 lines of verse, although it has a potential to test one’s multiple intellectual activities of comparing, analyzing, combining, reasoning, describing and abstracting. Mongols used to say the riddle for guessing by children and youth from the teenage time and it was giving special contribution to the development of their thinking. For instance: Tuntger ovgon tumen jadtai. The fat old man has many spears, what is this? The answer is “A hedgehog”.

Mongol Tuuli is an oral tradition comprising heroic epics that run from hundreds to thousands of lines and combine benedictions, eulogies, spells, idiomatic phrases, fairy tales, myths and folk songs. They are regarded as a living encyclopedia of Mongolian oral traditions and immortalize the heroic history of the Mongols. Epic performers are distinguished by their prodigious memory and skills, combining singing, vocal improvisation and musical composition coupled with theatrical elements. Epic lyrics are performed to musical accompaniment on instruments such as morin khuur and tovshuur. Epics are performed during social and public events, including state affairs, weddings, a child’s first haircut, naadam and worship of sacred sites. Epics evolved over many centuries, and reflect nomadic lifestyles, social behaviors, religion, mentalities and imagination. Epic performers cultivate epic traditions from generation to generation, learning, performing and transmitting techniques within kinship circles, from fathers to sons.

Mongolia 2009

Phrazeological expressions, which are created during the past centuries.