7. .Iconocity and its properties. Markedness

Markedness as a linguistic phenomenon goes out of oppositional method of analysis. Due to this method, appeared in Prague linguistic school, two elements are opposed, one element has additional sign with some concrete categorical meaning. It’s a strong member of opposition. Graphically it’s denoted by +, weak member as -. Markedness depends on the context. One and the same structure may be marked in one but unmarked in other context. Markedness is that is characteristic of not only language phenomenon but extralinguistic reality. M. is not a stable phenomenon; it’s very dynamic and changes with the course of time even with the same people.

There are 3 criteria of markedness: frequency distribution, cognitive complexity and structural complexity. It means that what is marked requires greater intellectual effort to identify. Alongside it is typically structurally more complicated.

They are mutually dependent and application of one of the criteria automatically actuates the other two. This integral application of 3 criteria characterizes iconicity. Criteria of markedness are universal and refer in the same way but to different entities. These criteria are universal but are analyzed differently in reference to different language categories. They are more recognizable in simple structures and more complicated in the connected discourse.

e.g. active and passive voice and its correlation. Structurally passive is more complicated, it requires greater intellectual efforts to be recognized. It is not frequently used, so passive is marked in everyday oral communication. But if it is official/scientific discourse passive may be more frequently used than active.

Markedness is a metaiconic phenomenon, all 3 criteria of markedness are activated simultaneously, independently and automatically. This is universal phenomenon and works the same way in all the languages.

The theory of iconicity received its further development on the basis of conversational analysis on the structure of discourse and text. Iconicity principles should be observed for effective communication. There are 3 main subprinciples that are iconic:

• Iconic sequence – we must keep in mind the succession of clauses in the sentence and temporal succession of events

e.g. He opened the bottle and poured himself a glass of water.

He poured himself a glass of water and opened the bottle.

As far as the syntactic rules are concerned both sentences are grammatically correct but in the second one the succession of events in objective reality doesn’t correspond to their succession reflected in the sentence. The first sentence illustrates the observance of the principle of iconicity, the second – the violation of iconic principle. Violation is not a rare phenomenon, it’s not the concern of grammar but of semantics.

• Iconic proximity – second type of iconicity can be illustrated on the group of attributive element referring to the noun

e.g. The famous, delicious, Italian, pepperoni pizza – is the correct variant, the principle of iconic proximity is observed, the element with most universal meaning is placed on the most distant position. The word which is specialized in its meaning is more concrete and is placed before the noun.

- Iconic quantity – is a matter of cognitive quantity.

e.g. This guy is getting on my nerves.

This aggressively impotent guy is getting on my nerves.

Quantity of elements in the 2^nd one is exiding the norm (the amount of necessary information for identification of the person)

3 principles of iconicity are illustrated differently in different types of the text. If it is fiction iconic quantity will dominate, if it is formal text – just opposite – iconic quantity will be reducible to minimum. If it is mass media – iconic sequencing will be more important.