6.1.4. Irony

The third type of interaction between the logical meaning and contextual meaning of a word is irony. Irony is a stylistic device by which the words used are made to convey a meaning opposite to their logical meaning. Irony is a clash of two opposite meanings within the same context, which is sustained in oral speech by intonation. Irony can be realized also through the medium of the situation, which, in written speech, may extend as far as a paragraph, chapter or even the whole book.

Example: Stoney smiled the sweet smile of an alligator.

Irony calls a clear understanding from both writer and reader, that the word is used in a sense which is directly the opposite of its logical meaning. The context helps the reader understand the interaction between the logical meaning and the contextual meaning. In certain cases a much wider context is needed to understand that the word is used ironically, and to understand its stylistic effect.

Irony may be expressed by any part of speech, usually by a noun, adjective and adverb. The effect of irony largely depends on the unexpectedness and seeming lack of logic of a word used by the author in a context. The reader is fully aware of the contrast between what is logically expected and what is said. This contrast, this interaction of the contextual and logical meanings of a word produces humorous effect. Irony may be used to achieve bitter mockery and sarcasm as well. Bitter, socially or politically aimed irony is referred to as sarcasm.

6.2. Sd based on interaction between the logical and nominal meanings. Antomasia

There are two types of antonomasia:

1) The use of the proper noun for the common noun. Usually the name is a well-known historical or literary personage is applied to a character to point out certain features common to both. Thus a rich man is called Rockefeller, and a clever man - a Solomon. Generally this type of antonomasia is trite.

Antonomasia is always trite when its contextual meaning is logical, because, to be employed as a common noun the proper name must have fixed logical associations between the name itself and the qualities of its bearer which may occur only as a result of long and frequent usage.

2) The use of a common noun for a proper name. Both abstract and concrete nouns may be used as antonomasia. This type of antonomasia, in contrast to the first type, is usually genuine and may be understood only from a given context. This type, as a rule, is original, for the variety of common nouns becoming contextual proper names is unlimited, and thus each case is a unique creation. The main function of this type of antonomasia is to characterize the person simultaneously with naming him. It is vastly used in the 'so called' "speaking names" - example: Miss Sharp, Lady Teasle, Mr Philosophy, etc. Here a common noun acquires a contextual logical meaning in a sentence. The interaction between the logical meaning and contextual nominal meaning of a word produces a humorous effect.

The stylistic function of antonomasia may be illustrated by the following example:

"Listen, young man ", he whispered, "I want to ask you something before the old pine-apple juice comes back".

The character calls his male nurse "old pine-apple juice" because it is the duty of the male nurse to bring his pine-apple juice at stated intervals during the day and to insist on the personage drinking it for the sake of his health. Antonomasia vividly brings out the contempt for the nurse and the lack of faith in the curative powers of the pine-apple juice.