MODERN URBAN LEGENDS: STRUCTURE AND FEATURES

Abstract

One of the most widespread genres of post folklore is urban legends. At a time when the modern world is facing a phenomenon such as globalization, urban legends, unlike other genres of folklore, are rapidly spreading between different social groups and distant geographies with the help of the media.

Urban legends, unlike traditional legends, are short and poetic texts as a genre described by a "friend of a friend." In fact, the term "friend of a friend" has become a commonly used term when describing such stories. Its main subject is mysterious, terrifying, frightening, and sometimes humorous stories. There are many values ​​in these stories, such as moral elements, warnings, and truthfulness. The main topics that give rise to any event, gossip or rumor-type information, novel, film, or any deliberately fabricated news, as well as paranormal beliefs that are considered non-traditional beliefs, nightmares, planets, are non-standard texts about objects such as stars, sun, moon, black holes and comets. At the same time, urban legends include topics of interest to modern citizens: technology, food pollution, rising food prices, dating, authoritarianism in government, bribery, money laundering, crime, cars, organ sales, assassinations, internet hackers, and more.

In this article, along with the function and features of urban legends, its similarities and differences with genres that are considered new examples of folklore, such as rumors, gossip, are also studied.