Allusions in w.S. Maugham’s novel “then and now”

The subject of the research is the role of cultural and historical facts and allusions as the foundations of the novel “Then and Now” by W.S. Maugham. In the research we defined the notions, analyzed their role in creating the cultural and historical background of the events. Four main categories of the cultural and historical facts and allusions used in the novel “Then and Now” by W.S. Maugham are characterized in particular as facts associated with historical figures, facts relating to historical events, facts relating to historical institutions and allusions.

Three types of allusions are defined:

1. Allusions based on mythology.

Following the fashion of the time, his theme was Cupid and his darts, the cruel wounds his loved one’s eyes inflicted, and the happiness that would be his if he could pass one moment without thinking of her. [13;105]

Cupid is a god of love in Rome mythology.

2. Allusions based on Biblical themes.

It should be presumption on my part to recall the Holy Scripture to your memory, but I will venture to suggest to you that if the woman of Samaria had not committed adultery the Founder of our religion would never have had occasion to utter those precepts of tolerance and forgiveness which have been such inestimable value to the miserable sinners that we are. [13; 101]

This allusion reminds the reader of the Samaritan prostitute who got eternal salvation having washed the Jesus’ feet with expensive oil and cleaned them with her own hair.

3. Allusions based on literary and artistic works.

But I am not one to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. [13; 71]

W. S. Maugham uses the Aesopian language and creates his characters’ images.

The cultural historical facts and allusions used in the novel “Then and Now” by W.S. Maugham create the picture of the world of Machiavelli’s epoch and hence depict brightly and vividly the artistic images of the characters and events.

Kudyrko O.

(Vinnytsia)

The influential capacity of political discourse

Language is a particularly human property that penetrates all the spheres of human existence. Politics has become an overriding factor for setting the world order. Therefore, in order to propagate its ideas and communicate with the masses politics automatically involves language. It is reasonable to conclude that language becomes an inseparable part of political discourse that has adopted some of the strategies and ways in which language functions.

Consequently, political discourse is a phenomenal realm of study for linguists. The property of political discourse that is of great interest is the usage of various linguistic and stylistic means for projection of concepts and ideas and for influence on human perception of objective reality. Linguists have discovered that such type of discourse is not void of metaphors that shape conceptual system since they are responsible for the way people perceive the world. Here, metaphors are not only used to create the necessary image, but also to give it the desired shade and to present it from a different point of view. Metaphors often suggest “politically correct” actions and opinions.

Linguists have come to the conclusion that language is power. And it’s due to metaphors that political discourse has an extreme influential capacity. With the help of metaphors it is possible to create any image or to destroy it, to explicate or to validate things and to impose opinions.

The usage of metaphors makes political language full of symbols, its success and efficiency depends on how close these symbols are to the mass conscience.

So the aim of political discourse is not to describe, but to create ground for persuading the addressee, encouraging actions, and this is what makes the political discourse so efficient. Therefore, the essential quality of political discourse is the ability to persuade, to influence and to manipulate.

Kuprovska O.

(Vinnytsia)

LINGUISTIC PECULIARITIES OF ENGLISH POETRY FOR CHILDREN

The poetry for children is a specific phenomenon in literature. It is notable for its simplicity, dynamism, implicit instructiveness. Poems for children are highly artistic and their simplicity is compensated by contential and compositional means.

The linguistic peculiarities of the poetry for children depend on its specific aim and original form of thinking of the adressee. In general, concepts of positive emotional and semantic shades of meaning predominate in poems for children.

Nouns, verbs and adjectives are predominated in children’s poetry, that reflect the succession of mastering these parts of speech by children.

What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice, And everything nice.

Verbs in simple tense forms are frequent,because they are easy to understand: Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day!

The archaic forms of some verbs and pronouns testify the long period of poems’ existence and also make these poems melodious: The north wind doth blow, the moon doth shine.

The typical feature of children’s poetry is the frequent usage of onomatopoeic words: Bow-wow, says the dog. Mew, mew, says the cat. Grunt, grunt, goes the hog. And squeak goes the rat.

Morphological features of poems for children are correlated with the level of linguistic competence of children and are characterized by the creation of new words using existing models.Poetry for children is most often instructional, morally edifying and rhymed in order to aid in memorizing.

Kuz M.

(Vinnytsia)