From hypotext to hypertext: Intertextual transformation of the Orkhon Inscriptions using Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

Intertextuality constitutes a direct or mediated relationship between texts realized through various artistic and narrative techniques. One of the most widespread methods of establishing such a relationship is “rewriting.” Rewriting is understood as the re-creation of an already existing text from a new perspective and for a specific purpose in accordance with the cultural and historical conditions of a later period. In this context, the “nazira” tradition may also be regarded as a significant example of intertextuality. An author employing the intertextual method transforms the original text, reinterprets its motifs, and images, and constructs a new semantic field. Thus, a new text is produced based on the original while maintaining a connection with the preceding literary tradition. Contemporary authors turn to intertextuality and rewriting for different reasons: some within the framework of the postmodern paradigm, others with the aim of preserving collective memory and establishing a bridge between the past and the present. In Kazakhstan and Turkey, several novels containing intertextual references to one of the major monuments of Turkic literature – the Orkhon inscriptions – have been written. However, studies devoted to the rewriting and analysis of these texts using artificial intelligence have not yet been conducted. In this article, the texts of Kultegin and Tonyukuk were reworked with the assistance of the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT in order to create two modern narratives. The study aims to identify how contemporary narrative techniques and psychological devices contribute to deepening the meaning and interpretative potential of the Orkhon texts. Within the framework of the research, a comparative analysis is conducted between the original texts and their modern rewritten versions generated by artificial intelligence. The comparative analysis demonstrates that the original Kultegin inscription is predominantly composed in an oratorical style directed toward the listener, yet it lacks fully developed dialogues between characters. In contrast, the modern version produced by artificial intelligence contains expanded dialogues shaped by plot development and character construction. The primary function of these dialogues is to reveal the semantic layers of the original text more comprehensively through character interaction. Furthermore, an important element absent from the original inscriptions but introduced in the AI-generated text is the use of internal psychological analysis to depict the emotional states of the characters. By rewriting the Tonyukuk texts, ChatGPT produced a narrative containing criticism of the modern world and the imperialist system. In this narrative, the preservation of national memory is presented as the only means of existence within the new world order. Tonyukuk, who preserved the national memory of the Turks through inscriptions carved in stone, seeks to awaken future generations alienated from their own identity. The hyper textual fragments were entirely generated using the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT.