Antti Aarne

Antti Amatus Aarne (December 5,1867 - February 2,1925) was a Finnish folklorist, who developed the initial version of what became the Aarne-Thompson classification system of classifying folktales, first published in 1910. The classification was criticized by Vladimir Propp of the Formalist school of the 1920s. The American folklorist Stith Thompson, in translating Aarne's motif-based classification system in 1928, enlarged its scope, and with his second addition to Aarne's catalogue in 1961 created the "AT-number system" (also referred to as AaTh system) often used today. The AT classification system has only recently (2004) been expanded by Hans-Jörg Uther (Aarne-Thompson-Uther or ATU system).

Related Topics:
December 5 - 1867 - February 2 - 1925 - Finnish - Folklorist - 1910 - Vladimir Propp - Formalist - 1920s - American - Stith Thompson - 1928 - Catalogue - 1961 - 2004

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:"The Aarne-Thompson system catalogues some 2500 basic plots from which, for countless generations, European and Near Eastern storytellers have built their tales. As Europeans and Near-Easterners travelled to the New World, the Far East, Africa, and other distant places, their tales migrated as well, often flourishing in their new environments. Hence, the Aarne-Thompson system encompasses tales found around the world." (Ashliman 1987 p ix)

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