The first lecture-discussion of the second semester of the 12th academic year of the "Student Researcher" scholarship program, initiated and organized by the AMT, was successfully held on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, from 18:00 to 20:30 at AMT.

            The guest speaker for the lecture-discussion was Dr. S. Enkhjargal, the head of the Mongolian Language and Literature Department and the director of the Mongolian Language Text and Corpus Laboratory at the Institute of Language and Literature, Mongolian Academy of Sciences. Dr. Enkhjargal delivered a lecture.

              Dr. Enkhjargal began his career in oral literature but, due to his interest in linguistics, he combined both fields in his studies. He highlighted that only Mongols discuss the "three worlds" concept, and no other culture has such a concept. Russian scholar N. Klyueva mentioned that in Mongolian folklore, there are riddles about things that do not exist in the oral traditions of European peoples, which sparked Dr. Enkhjargal’s research interest.

              The "three worlds" concept in Mongolian culture includes the Mongolian language, culture, and mentality. This concept reflects the Mongols’ approach to understanding the world and their intellectual ability to reason, analyze, and synthesize new ideas. Mongolian idioms encapsulate the unique way Mongols think and perceive their world.

Dr. Enkhjargal discussed the development of abstract thinking, noting that the "three worlds" concept originated as an effort to understand the laws of the world, which evolved from concrete observations to more abstract notions. For example, the "three rich worlds"—land, earth, and sea—illustrate how the Mongols developed their conceptualization of the world from tangible to abstract ideas.

           She also explored the linguistic features of the "three worlds" in Mongolian, where the arrangement of words in sentences follows specific grammatical rules, creating smooth and harmonious expressions. Mongols have preserved this concept not only within their culture but it has also been passed on through oral traditions to other neighboring cultures.

            Dr. Enkhjargal pointed out the symbolic use of colors in the "three worlds" concept. There are 207 variations of the "three worlds" in Mongolian folklore, which include references to colors, each holding deeper symbolic meaning.

           One fascinating aspect he shared was the mythological "wishing tree"—a sacred tree believed to fulfill desires. This tree is said to grow in the high mountains of the north, with its branches touching the heavens, symbolizing the connection between human wishes and divine fulfillment. This concept, passed down from Central Asian and Tibetan cultures, is widely found in Mongolian folklore and literature.

          Furthermore, Dr. Enkhjargal discussed the Mongolian concept of beauty, which includes the balance and harmony of opposites such as black and white, good and evil, beauty and ugliness. These opposites coexist and complement each other, reflecting the Mongol worldview.The lecture also delved into the Mongolian tradition of "symbolic harmony," where opposites are not only contrasted but also united to express a higher truth or meaning. The fish, as a symbol of knowledge and transformation, is an important element of this symbolic system. The "three origins of the world" include the fish, symbolizing the evolution of life and the interconnection of all living things.

         In the second part of the lecture, Dr. Enkhjargal introduced his 2019 book, Mongolian Idiomatic Dictionary, which explains idioms related to animal husbandry. He shared some interesting interpretations from the book, highlighting the importance of these idiomatic expressions in Mongolian language and culture.We would like to thank Dr. S. Enkhjargal for accepting our invitation and delivering such a rich and insightful lecture. We also thank the professors, researchers, and students who attended the lecture. We wish everyone great success in their scholarly endeavors.