ENGLISH RIDDLES: TYPOLOGY, STRUCTURE, AND LINGUISTIC ENCODING

This study explores the typology, structural organization, and linguistic encoding of English riddles, with a focus on zoomorphic, anthropomorphic, phytomorphic, and inanimate object riddles. Emphasis is placed on the descriptive, narrative, and compositional-schematic features of riddles in the Exeter Book and subsequent corpora, illustrating patterns of metaphorical and literal representation. Riddles represent a distinct genre of verbal art, combining cognitive challenge with cultural encoding. In English, they serve as a lens for understanding medieval thought, symbolic representation, and the interplay between literal and figurative language.