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Językoznawstwo baner

No. 1/26 (2026)

Articles

The voice behind the stone: A linguistic and cultural analysis of selected contemporary epitaphs as mirrors of individual and collective identity construction

DOI: https://doi.org/10.25312/j.10335  [Google Scholar]
Published: 2026-03-25

Abstract

This article presents a pilot linguistic and cultural study of contemporary Polish- and Latin-language epitaphs based on inscriptions from the cemetery in Busko-Zdrój (Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship), which includes both a municipal and a parish section. The aim of the study is to gain initial insights into the linguistic, stylistic, and semantic features of modern grave epitaphs, as well as to analyze their role in the construction of individual and collective identity within the context of the local culture of memory. The exemplary analysis of selected inscriptions reveals how traditional religious formulas merge with contemporary, often personalized forms of commemoration. The comparison between the municipal and parish sections of the cemetery also allows conclusions to be drawn regarding potential differences in the expression of religious and cultural values. The study regards epitaphs as hybrid texts situated at the intersection of private mourning and public representation of life, death, and social norms in contemporary Poland. It provides a basis for further research in regional and broader contexts.

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