Book - George Sword's Warrior Narratives: Compositional Process in Lakota Oral Tradition

The general focus in Lakota oral literary research has been relatively in the study of content rather than the process in oral traditions. In Delphine Red Shirt’s new book, George Sword’s Warrior Narratives: Compositional Process in Lakota Oral Tradition, shows how its composition and structure are reflected in the work of George Sword who composed 245 pages of text in the Lakota language using the English alphabet.

Red Shirt finds that what essentially emerges from Sword’s narratives are many formulaic patterns inherent in the Lakota language that are fundamentally used to tell narratives as well as recurring themes, and story patterns. Moreover, Red Shirt’s prime conclusion is that Sword’s narratives originate from a distinct Lakota oral tradition. In addition, this book analyzes historic documents and original texts in Lakota leading into Red Shirt’s groundbreaking discernment of the process of composition of Native literature. As a result, Red Shirt’s book can be used for further literary and linguistic studies, anthropological linguistics, and in translation studies.

Review by Anita & Brittany:

The general focus in Lakota oral literary research has been relatively in the study of content rather than the process in oral traditions.  In Delphine Red Shirt’s new book, George Sword’s Warrior Narratives: Compositional Process in Lakota Oral Tradition, shows how its composition and structure are reflected in the work of George Sword who composed 245 pages of text in the Lakota language using the English alphabet.  Red Shirt finds that what essentially emerges from Sword’s narratives are many formulaic patterns inherent in the Lakota language that are fundamentally used to tell narratives as well as recurring themes, and story patterns.  Moreover, Red Shirt’s prime conclusion is that Sword’s narratives originate from a distinct Lakota oral tradition.  In addition, this book analyzes historic documents and original texts in Lakota leading into Red Shirt’s groundbreaking discernment of the process of composition of Native literature.  As a result, Red Shirt’s book can be used for further literary and linguistic studies, anthropological linguistics, and in translation studies.