Presentation Formulas in South Slavic Epic Song

South Slavic epic singers make frequent use of direct address to the listener in order to draw attention to important characters or events. These “presentation formulas” fulfill a variety of important discursive functions. Analogously to certain cinematographic techniques (the cuts of montage, panning, or zooming-in of the camera), they shift the listener’s mental vision from one point of reference to another. They can also articulate the structure of a song and create sophisticated aesthetic effects of absence and presence.