This article presents a new theory on the origins of the common Finnic tetrameter as a poetic form (also called the Kalevala-meter, regilaul meter, etc.). It argues that this verse form emerged as a creolization of the North Germanic alliterative verse form during a period of intensive language contacts, and that the Finnic ethnopoetic ecology made it isosyllabic. Previous theories have focused on the trochaic, tetrametric structure and viewed other features of poetic form as secondary or incidental. This is the first theory to offer a metrically driven explanation for the distinctive features of the poetic form: the systematic placement of lexically stressed short syllables in metrically unstressed positions and systematic yet unmetricalized use of verse-internal alliteration. The emergence of the poetic form may be viewed simply in terms of hybridization, but its formation as a central mode for epic and ritual poetry demands consideration of social factors. Creolization is considered a social process of hybridization at the level of sign systems that is characterized by a salient asymmetrical relation of power, authority or other value in the cultural sign systems being reconfigured from the perspective of the society or groups involved. An argument is presented that North Germanic contacts also produced systematic verse-internal alliteration in Finnic languages. Discussion then turns to the distinction between the origin and spread of the poetic form. The poetic form’s uniformity across Finnic language areas in spite of its ‘foreign’ metrical features along with the range of genres with which it was used are considered indicators of the poetic form’s spread with language, forming an argument that the tetrameter emerged within an environment that also produced Late Proto-Finnic, and then spread with Late Proto-Finnic language and culture through areas where other Finnic language forms were spoken.

中文翻译：

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Finnic Tetrameter——诗歌形式的克里奥尔化？

本文介绍了一种新的理论，关于常见的芬兰四音律作为一种诗歌形式（也称为 Kalevala-meter、regilaul 音律等）的起源。它认为，这种诗歌形式是在密集的语言接触时期对北日耳曼头韵诗歌形式的克里奥尔化形式出现的，并且芬兰人的民族诗学生态使它成为同音节词。以前的理论集中在trochaic，tetrametric 结构，并认为诗歌形式的其他特征是次要的或附带的。这是第一个为诗歌形式的显着特征提供韵律驱动的解释的理论：将词汇重读的短音节系统地放置在非韵律的位置，以及系统但未计量地使用诗歌内部头韵。诗歌形式的出现可以简单地从杂交的角度来看待，但它作为史诗和仪式诗歌的中心模式的形成需要考虑社会因素。克里奥尔化被认为是符号系统层面的一种社会混合过程，其特点是从所涉及的社会或群体的角度重新配置的文化符号系统中的权力、权威或其他价值的显着不对称关系。提出了一个论点，即北日耳曼语的接触也产生了芬兰语语言中系统的诗歌内部头韵。然后讨论转向诗歌形式的起源和传播之间的区别。