The key idea of the theory is that poets have a store of formulas (a formula being 'an expression that is regularly used, under the same metrical conditions, to express a particular essential idea')Milman Parry, L’epithèt traditionnelle dans Homère (Paris, 1928), p. 16; cf. Albert B. Lord, The singer of tales (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1960), p. 4 and that by linking the formulas in conventionalised ways, poets can rapidly compose verse.  In the hands of Milman Parry and Albert Lord, the approach transformed the study of ancient and medieval poetry and oral poetry generally. The main exponent and developer of their approaches was John Miles Foley.
The key idea of the theory is that poets have a store of formulas (a formula being 'an expression that is regularly used, under the same metrical conditions, to express a particular essential idea')Milman Parry, L’epithèt traditionnelle dans Homère (Paris, 1928), p. 16; cf. Albert B. Lord, The singer of tales (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1960), p. 4 and that by linking the formulas in conventionalised ways, poets can rapidly compose verse. This idea was put forth by Antoine Meillet in 1923, thusly: In the hands of Meillet’s student Milman Parry, and subsequently the latter’s student Albert Lord, the approach transformed the study of ancient and medieval poetry and oral poetry generally. The main exponent and developer of their approaches was John Miles Foley.
A
This idea was put forth by Antoine Meillet in 1923, thusly:
R
Milman Parry and
Meillet’s student Milman Parry, and subsequently the latter’s student