Wartości poznawcze śląskich pieśni ludowych

The article is a general reflection on the issue of cognitive values of Silesian folk songs. The song repertoire was looked at in the article from several perspectives, taking into consideration its connections with a folk tradition. Much onus fell on the lexical layer characterizing the reality and diversity of song content and function. The basic scope of artistic means within poetics and song melody was discussed. Important comments concerned the means of transmission, rules of functioning and folklore communication. The suggestions encouraging the audience to read the song parts proved the fact that Silesian folk songs are the book of knowledge on traditional, family, social and artistic culture, and a fundamental source of getting to know the past, as well as consolidating the feeling of one’s own identity