Page 191 - NOVOPAZARSKI ZBORNIK 44-2021

Novopazarski zbornik, 44/2021, str. 179-191 191

Azra Hodžić-Čavkić
University in Sarajevo
Faculty of Philosophy

ORIENTALISATION OF NOVI PAZAR
IN THE CONTEMPORARY TRAVELOGUE DISCOURSE

Abstract: For most of the last century, linguistics has focused on abstract and
idealized grammatical units, and most often neglected the communicative context,
the study of meaning in interaction, and the dialectic between linguistics and social
structures. Although a number od language philosophers have warned that meaning
can only be spoken of in a context (Wittgenstein), Saussure’s structuralism was tasked
with describing an idealized version of language by strictly separating it from value
in usage. The fear that the lack of transparency in research into the language value
in usage could undermine the predictability of language was was overcome at the
end of the 20th century, and the focus was shifted to natural language in the totality
of meaning. On the other hand, literary studies in about same period articulates a
strong need to unravel the text responsible for creating cultural prejudices through
various methods. One of these methods is known as orientalism. Orientalism
implies the totality of practices by which Occident seeks to show its perception of
the Orient using the metaphor of language. The metaphor of language here implies
that language, per se and in se, is the mean by which First creates the Other –
always according to the measure of the Center. Orientalism is especially present
in travelogue discourse, as a fictional factual genre, which involves the Center and
the Periphery, the meeting of the First and the Second, but almost as a rule implies
the clash (: conflict) of them. This paper will discuss the methods of orienting Novi
Pazar through contemporary travelogue discourse.
Key words: conceptual metaphor, contemporary travelogue discourse,
orientalism, Edward Said, Novi Pazar