Defense of the dissertation of Sultan Yesbol for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the specialty «8D02314 - Literary studies»

L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, a dissertation defense for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by Sultan Yesbol on the topic ««The Semiotic system in literary text and the cognitive layer»» to the educational program «8D02314 – Literary studies».

The dissertation was carried out at the «Kazakh Literature education department» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.

The language of defense is kazakh

Official reviewers:

Zharylgapov Zhansaya Zhangazyuly– Doctor of Philology, Professor of the Department of Kazakh Literature, Karaganda National Research University academician E.A. Buketov (Karaganda, Kazakhstan);

Adayeva Ermek Sabyrbayevna – Candidate of Philology, Lecturer of the Department of Kazakh Language and Turkology of Nazarbayev University (Astana, Kazakhstan);

Temporary members of the Dissertation Council:

Orhan Söylemez– Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Professor at the Department of Modern Turkic Dialects and Literatures, Kastamonu University (Kastamonu, Turkey);

Kalieva Almira Kairytaevna – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Deputy Director General for Research, M.O. Auezov Institute of Literature and Art (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan).

Zhakulaev Adil Muratovich – Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Vice-Rector for Strategic Development of the Bolashaq Academy (Almaty, Kazakhstan).

Scientific advisors:

– Aituganova Saulesh Shamsaevna – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Professor of the Department of Kazakh Literature at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, (Astana, Kazakhstan)

– Inayet Alimzhan is a Doctor and Professor at Ege University, Ege University (Izmir, Turkey).

The defense will take place on May 20, 2026, at 03:00 PM in the Dissertation Council for the training direction «8D023 – Languages and literature» in the educational program «8D02314 – Literary studies» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. The Dissertation Council meeting will be held offline and online.

Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/44008925341752?p=vlqWWFZA7ZQwNeHZ1K 

Address: Astana, K. Satpayev St., 2, Room 302.

Abstract (English): ABSTRACT Of the dissertation «The Semiotic system in literary text and the cognitive layer» Submitted by Sultan Yesbol Bolatuly for the degree of Philosophy (PhD) educational program "8D02314 –Literary Studies" General description of the study.This research examines the literary text from the perspective of a semiotic system and is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the nature of the cognitive layer within its semantic structure. A literary text is a specially organized semiotic structure in which multilayered meaning is generated through linguistic signs and symbols. The text of a literary work consists of external and internal layers; the internal, deep level is formed by the cognitive layer, which encompasses the informational, ideological, and cultural-cognitive system influencing the reader’s consciousness. Thus, a literary text not only provides aesthetic pleasure but also accumulates knowledge and values that shape the reader’s worldview. In this regard, the dissertation considers the texts of Kazakh literary prose as an integral sign-symbolic system and identifies the cognitive load of the semiotic elements operating within this system (character systems, chronotopes, mythopoetic images, codes of creation and archetypes, intertextual references, cultural symbols, etc.). As the object of research, the works of major representatives of twentieth- and twenty-first-century Kazakh prose—Zh. Aimauytov, M. Auezov, G. Musirepov, A. Kekilbayev, O. Bokey, T. Abdyk, D. Ramazan, Zh. Korgasbek, and N. Dautaiuly—were selected, and the specific features of semiosphere and semiosis processes in their artistic worlds were analyzed. The study demonstrates how each author’s worldview and poetic style are manifested through the sign system of the text and how national concepts and cultural codes are represented therein. The dissertation employs a comprehensive combination of semiotic, structural, mythological, cultural, comparative-typological, and contextual methods aimed at identifying the mechanisms that generate multilayered meaning in literary texts. During the research, such concepts as “the cognitive layer of the literary text,” “semiotic space,” and “conceptual field” are clarified, and on this basis a model for the semiotic-cognitive analysis of literary texts is proposed. The results of the dissertation reveal the semiotic functions of mythopoetic symbols and archetypes, codes of creation, character systems, and chronotope models in Kazakh prose, explaining their role in shaping the cognitive structure of the text. In addition, the findings expand the theoretical foundations of text semiotics and cognitive poetics, making it possible to interpret national literature from a new methodological perspective and to broaden the scholarly basis for the in-depth reading of literary texts. The scientific novelty of the study lies in its integrated examination, for the first time on the material of Kazakh prose, of the semiotic system of the literary text in unity with cognitive content. The system of knowledge and ideas accumulated in the inner structure of the text is conceptualized as a distinct “cognitive layer,” and its structural features, components, and functional typology are demonstrated through specific examples. In addition, the cognitive mechanisms underlying traditional poetic categories such as symbol, sign, archetype, and mythic motifs are revealed, and their place in authorial conceptualization is specified. The study also has significant theoretical and practical importance. The results contribute to the further development of text theory, semiotic analysis, and cognitive poetics in Kazakh literary studies and help to explain national artistic thought within new methodological coordinates. The principles and analytical models proposed in the dissertation may be introduced into university courses such as “Theory of Literature,” “Methods of Literary Text Analysis,” and “Cognitive Literary Studies,” as well as into the process of teaching in-depth literary reading in Kazakh literature classes at school. Thus, the dissertation offers a holistic model for interpreting contemporary Kazakh prose from a semiotic-cognitive perspective. Relevance of the study. The relevance of the research is determined by interdisciplinary trends in contemporary humanities and methodological innovations in literary studies. As a result of the convergence of different fields in modern scholarship, new lines of inquiry have emerged, and new methodological foundations are being formed in literary theory as well. One of these is the integration of semiotic and cognitive approaches in the analysis of literary texts. It is well known that in traditional literary studies, a work was mainly examined in terms of composition, plot, and idea. However, within the framework of the current anthropocentric paradigm, there is a growing need to consider the text at a deeper semantic level, namely, from the perspective of the cognitive layer. Studying the semiotic-structural dimension of a literary text in unity with its cognitive content broadens the horizons of literary analysis. In national literary scholarship, the issue of the cognitive layer in literary texts has not yet been fully explored; in particular, the relationship between sign systems and authorial worldview in Kazakh literary works requires deeper analysis. Therefore, the results of this dissertation contribute to strengthening the foundations of general text theory in national scholarship and to explaining Kazakh prose from a new perspective. The topic of the research also resonates with the country’s spiritual renewal and the task of recognizing the national code. Uncovering implicit meanings and cultural concepts in literary works makes it possible to comprehend the national worldview scientifically. This research topic corresponds to the requirements of contemporary literary studies and constitutes a relevant field of inquiry that enriches interdisciplinary scholarship. Object of the research – Kazakh literary prose. Subject of the research – the semiotics of literary text and cognitive literary studies. Purpose and objectives of the research The main purpose of the study is to explain the deep semantic structure of the text by analyzing the literary text as a semiotic system. To achieve this goal, the following objectives were set: – to examine the theoretical and methodological foundations of semiotics; – to identify semiotic paradigms in literary studies; – to develop a model for the semiotic analysis of literary text; – to analyze the semiosphere and semiosis processes in Kazakh prose; – to reveal the semiotic function of the system of mythopoetic symbols in literary texts; – to consider codes of creation and archetypes within the system of semiotic signs; – to characterize the system of characters from a semiotic perspective and determine the ways of iconic signification; – to study the semiotic-indexical organization of the chronotope; – to investigate the sign-symbolic system in literary narrative and the representation of national cognition. Research methods The study applied theoretical analysis, synthesis, systematization, semiotic analysis, structural analysis, and methods of symbolic interpretation. An interdisciplinary methodological principle guided the research. To examine mythopoetic elements in literary texts, mythological analysis and methods of cultural comparison were also employed. In addition, where necessary, traditional literary approaches such as contextual analysis and the comparative-typological method were used. In general, the research methodology, taking into account the complexity of the object of study, included an integrated system of several methods. Scientific-theoretical and methodological basis of the research The scientific-theoretical basis of the study consists of fundamental works in semiotic theory, text theory, and cognitive literary studies in linguistics and literary scholarship. In examining the literary text as a sign system, the works of scholars in structuralism and semiotic poetics served as the main theoretical foundation. In particular, the methodological basis of the research was formed by the works of such scholars in world literary studies as R. Barthes, C. Peirce, Y. Lotman, U. Eco, T. Todorov, A. Greimas, V. Propp, Y. Kristeva, C. Jung, G. Genette, M. Bakhtin, V. Khalizev, and others on semiotics and literary text theory. In Kazakh literary studies, the works of S. Kirabayev, Z. Akhmetov, Z. Kabdolov, B. Maytanov, S. Kondybay, M. Bazarbayev, G. Piraliyeva, G. Orda, Zh. Aimukhambet, M. Orazbek, G. Saulembek, K. Ensebayeva, Zh. Musaly, U. Anesova, G. Baltabayeva, and others constituted the scientific-theoretical and methodological basis of the dissertation. Sources of the research The source base of the research consisted of Kazakh literary prose of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Specifically, the following works were analyzed as research material: Zh. Aimauytov’s Künikey’s Fault; M. Auezov’s Kokserek, The Day of the Defenseless, An Educated Citizen, and The Karash-Karash Event; G. Musirepov’s Ulpan; A. Kekilbayev’s The End of the Legend; O. Bokey’s The Snow Girl; T. Abdyk’s Pedestal and Life and The Battlefield of Reason; D. Ramazan’s The Old Man and the White Snake; Zh. Korgasbek’s Zhansebil and December; and N. Dautaiuly’s The Stallion’s Cry and A Sinful World, among others. Scientific novelty of the research – the literary texts of Kazakh prose were specially investigated on the basis of a semiotic model, and the functions of the national semiosphere and semiosis processes in literary text were determined; – the sign function and cognitive load of mythic archetypes in Kazakh prose were substantiated through specific examples; – the system of characters was modeled through iconic, indexical, and symbolic signs, and their semiotic actantial function and meaning-generating role were analyzed by a new method; – the concept of chronotope was studied from a semiotic perspective, and spatial signs in prose were identified as indexical signs; – the sign structure of literary narrative and its national-cognitive representation were described for the first time as an integral semiological structure; – in the course of the research, the semiotic layer of national literature was considered not only at the textual level but also as an intercultural and cognitive space, and the multilayered nature of the semiosphere in Kazakh prose was scientifically substantiated. Theoretical and practical significance of the research The theoretical significance of the study lies in the fact that the scientific results and conclusions obtained further enrich text theory and the field of semiotic analysis in literary scholarship. The results of analyzing literary text from a semiotic perspective make it possible to understand the semantic structure of a literary work at a new level. The considerations and conclusions proposed in this work may serve as a theoretical basis in text studies, interpretation theory, and cognitive literary studies. For example, by defining the phenomenon of the “cognitive layer of the literary text,” the methodology for the conceptual analysis of literary content is expanded. The research findings may also provide an additional theoretical basis for studying mythopoetics, literary symbolism, and conceptual fields in Kazakh literary studies. In general, the results of the dissertation strengthen the interdisciplinary perspective in literary theory and propose new approaches to the interpretation of literary works. The practical significance of the study is also considerable. The principles and conclusions developed in the work may be used as teaching material in specialized and general university courses in philology. In particular, the research results may contribute to enriching the content of such disciplines as “Theory of Literature,” “Linguistic and Literary Analysis of Text,” and “Cognitive Literary Studies.” The semiotic and cognitive analytical models developed in the course of the research may serve as methodological tools for developing students’ analytical skills in the study of literary works. In addition, the results of the study may be applied in secondary-school Kazakh literature classes for in-depth reading of literary texts and for improving students’ ability to understand implicit meanings in literary works. In particular, models for analyzing the cognitive layer of the text help broaden students’ horizons of critical thinking and cultural cognition. Main propositions submitted for defense 1. A literary text is a complex sign system with a multilayered structure, and its internal semantic level is recognized as the cognitive layer. 2. Semiotic elements in a literary work constitute the principal means of forming the cognitive layer of the text. Sign elements used in literary texts—such as symbols, metaphors, allegories, and mythological images—serve to construct the deep semantic content of the work. 3. The semiosphere of Kazakh prose is a textual space in which national cultural codes, mythopoetic images, codes of creation, archetypes, character systems, and chronotope models intersect. Semiosis processes (the production, recoding, and decoding of signs) function in this space as the principal mechanism ensuring the cognitive connection among author, text, and reader. 4. Codes of creation and archetypes constitute a sign system in Kazakh prose that is manifested through stable images such as nature, space, time, home, road, mother, and hero; this system encodes the national worldview and collective unconscious and organizes the deep semiotic structure of the literary text. 5. The chronotope is an important semiotic category in Kazakh prose. Chronotope models function as cognitive-aesthetic tools that encode the character’s being, the dynamics of the event, and the authorial conception. 6. The system of characters and literary narrative form a field where iconic, indexical, and symbolic signs intersect; within this field, the character’s image, name, behavior, plot line, narrator’s position, and intertextual references operate as a semiotic mechanism representing national cognition and cultural memory. Approbation of the research The main content and results of the dissertation were discussed within the scholarly community and underwent the necessary criticism and refinement. Articles published in journals indexed in the Scopus database: 1. The System of Mythical Symbols in the Cognitive Layer of a Literary Text // Forum for Linguistic Studies. – 2025. – Vol. 7, Iss. 7. 2. The Home/Homeless Archetype in Modern Kazakh Literature // Forum for Linguistic Studies. – 2025. – Vol. 7, Iss. 6. Article published in a domestic journal recommended by the Committee for Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan: 1. The Role of Mythical Symbols in Forming the Cognitive Layer of a Literary Text // Bulletin of L.N. Gumilyov ENU. Philology Series. – 2024. – No. 2(147). – pp. 228–237. 2. Semiotic Analysis of Literary Text: Symbolic Representation // Bulletin of the Eurasian Humanities Institute. – 2023. – No. 2. – pp. 221–231. 3. The Transformation of the Wolf Archetype in Contemporary Kazakh Prose // Bulletin of Karaganda University. Philology Series. – 2025. – No. 3(119). – pp. 184–194. Articles published in international conferences: 1. The Cognitive-Conceptual Level of the Literary Text // Proceedings of the International Scientific-Practical Conference “M. Sergaliev and Issues of Philology.” – 2023. 2. The Symbolic Marking of Character Psychology // Proceedings of the International Scientific-Practical Conference “Kusayinov Readings: Science and Education in the 21st Century: Trends and Prospects.” – 2024. 3. Semiotics of Literary Text: Theoretical Analysis // Proceedings of the International Scientific-Practical Conference “Literature of the Alash Period and Integrative Folklore Studies.” – 2024. The structure of the research work. The structure of the dissertation was organized in accordance with the content and objectives of the study. The work consists of an introduction, three main parts, a conclusion and a list of references.

Dissertation

List of Scientific Works

Consultant's Review

Foreign Consultant's Review

Conclusion of the Research Ethics Committee