Lecture 4

STYLISTIC LEXICOLOGY

But words are things; and a small drop of ink

Falling like dew upon a thought, produces

That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.

(G.Byron)

1. The semantic structure of the word

grammatical words vs. lexical words

Grammar = the underlying structure

grammatical words - hold together the structure

( are few - prepositions, conjunctions, auxiliary words, pronouns)

are and can be in as or in

Lexis = the immediate content/subject-matter

lexical words - communicate sense

Bananas cheap plentiful used many interesting ways either desserts main meals

concept is communicated through meaning

semantic structure of the word = a bundle of different meanings:

- grammatical meaning / structural meaning = relations between words / constructions

- lexical meaning / referential meaning = refers to a concrete concept / reality

Types:

1. direct/ logical meaning

primary = etymological (green leaves = the colour of a growing plant)

derived = formed out of the source meaning (green hills = hills are not actually green, they are covered with green)

2.transferred meaning

secondary = for new related concepts (a green beginner, green years = the concept of growth, inexperience)

figurative = transfer of meanings from one object to another (green with envy)

2. Denotation and connotation

denotative meaning

- basic / direct / main meaning

- explicit / literal meaning

- is more stable

- forms the subject of the message or discourse

- identifies the central aspect of lexical meaning

- informs of the subject of communication

D.Crystal - denotative meaning is the objective relationship between a lexeme and the reality to which it refers

connotative meaning

- secondary / additional meaning

- information which a word may acquire in speech

- personal aspect of lexical meaning

-expressed implicitly

- informs about the participants of communication

D.Crystal - connotative meaning is the emotional associations which a lexeme incidentally brings to mind

dog

She worked like a dog

He looks like a dog

lemon

Your car is a lemon

hack

purebred - cur

nude - naked

childlike - childish

3. Types of connotative meaning

1/ functional stylistic meaning - the constant usage of the word in definite speech situations

the language of official documents, scientific language, poetry

2/ evaluative meaning - evaluation of denotate (favourable / unfavourable)

відомий - славетний - сумнозвісний

well-known - famous - notorious

lofty - exalted - pompous

Visionary - quixotic - chimerical

3/ emotional meaning - an emotional attitude of the speaker to the denotate

fuddy-duddy

wishy-washy

cold fish

queer fish / screw

4/ expressive figurative meaning - transfer of meaning from one object to another

He was a slab of stone.

Море брикалось, душа самотньо капала

overlapping of different connotative components of meaning

Then Tim Kendall lost control of himself. “For God’s sake, you damned bitch, “ he said, “shut up, can’t you? D’you want to get me hanged? Shut up I tell you. Shut that big ugly mouth of yours”. (A. Christie)

change in connotations within time

gentle - 'clan’

cowboy

British English = an irresponsible or incompetent workman or business: cowboy plumbers;

Northern Ireland = a member of a secret gang;

American English = an automobile driver who violates the traffic rules or a factory worker who breaks the rules set by his trade union

connotations vary according to the experience of individual

bus

- cheapness, convenience

- discomfort and inconvenience

according to their connotations words suit different spheres of speech

1.The individual in question is capable of destroying any adversary since his limbs are of wondrous power.

2.This man can beat up any other fighter, for he has very strong fists.

3.This here feller will give any other fighting chap a thrashing: got mighty strong fists.

4.This guy can damn well give you a kick: he’s nifty with his mitts.

4. Stylistic classifications of the English vocabulary

Prof. Galperin

1.Neutral

2.Literary

a.common literary

b.special literary

3.Colloquial

a.common colloquial

b.special colloquial

Prof. Kukharenko

1.Neutral

2.Literary

a.general literary

b.special literary

3 .Colloquial

a.general colloquial

b. special colloquial

Prof. Morokhovsky

criteria - paradigmatic and syntagmatic relations

1.Words having no lexico-stylistic paradigm

- have only denotative meaning

- are stylistically neutral

- have no synonyms

- have no subjective evaluation

- have no stylistic functions

terms, exotic words, lexical neologisms,historic words

may acquire stylistic meaning only in speech due to syntagmatic relations

2. Words having lexico-stylistic paradigm

- have connotative meaning

- stylistically marked (loaded)

- have neutral synonyms

- have subjective evaluation

- have stylistic functions

a. high-flown words

archaic, poetic, bookish, barbarisms

b. low-flown words

colloquial words, slang, jargon, dialectal words, vulgarisms

Prof. Screbnev

criterion - the social prestige of the word

Positive (elevated)

Neutral

Negative (degraded)

'degrees' of elevation or degradation:

maximally elevated = poetic diction = high prose

morn, sylvan, ne'er

medially elevated = expressively bookish

sagacity = wisdom, cleverness

expunge, expurgate = strike out or wipe out parts of a text

minimally elevated = slightly bookish words

prevail, activity, inherent

minimal degree of stylistic degradation = colloquial words

chap, chunk, sniffy, drifter

medial degree of stylistic degradation=

jargon, slang

big potato , a picture show - military jargon

maximal degree of stylistic degradation =

vulgar words

bloody, damn