3. Stylistic classification of the English vocabulary

The word-stock of a language may be represented as a definite system in which different aspects of words may be singled out as interdependent. A special branch of linguistic science -lexicology-has done much to classify vocabulary.

Standard English voc. includes:

1) Common literary (mostly used in a written variety of English; stands in opposite to colloquial. They may approach a neutral layer and penetrated. It happens with the word begin to be used in both varieties). The literary voc consists of the following groups of words: 1. common literary; 2. terms and learned words; 3. poetic words; 4. archaic words; 5. barbarisms and foreign words; 6. literary coinages including nonce-words.

2) Common colloquial (consist of words having a spoken character, they are emotionally colored, rather unstable). The colloquial voc falls into the following groups: 1. common "colloquial words; 2. slang; 3. jargonisms; 4. professional words; 5. dialectal words; 6. vulgar words; 7. colloquial coinages.

3) Common neutral. The aspect of the neutral layer is its universal character. That means it is unrestricted in its use. It can be employed in all styles of language and in all spheres of human activity. It is this that makes the layer the most stable of all.

4. Stylistics. The concept of imagery. Expressive means and stylistic devices.

Stylistics is not a level discipline, but subdivided into separate branches which treat the corresponding linguistic level (phonetics, syntactic, lexical).

Arnold: Stylistics – is a branch of linguistics, which studies the principles of choice and usage of means in rendering thoughts and emotions under different conditions of communication.

Galperin: Stylistics – is a branch of linguistics, which deals with two independent tasks: a) it studies the special media of lng which are called “SD” and “EM”; b) it studies the type of text which are distinguished by pragmatic aspect of communication and are called “FS”.

2 forms of lng:

1. literal lng – means what is says & w-s are used in the basic original mng.

2. figurative lng – doesn’t mean what is says & w-s are used in their figurative mng.

Examples of figurative use of lng can be found in various LD which can be called tropes.

Trope – figurative use of w-s or that creates imaginary. It is based on establishing connections b-n 2 notions which are completely different on the whole but have smth relative, simultaniuos in the given context or given situations.

Verbal image – a complex phenomena based on the copresence of 2 thoughts of dif-nt objects active together.

Verbal image(structure):

1. Tenor – subject of the thoughts;

2. Vehicle – the object, the S is being compared.

3. The ground of comparison (common feature between 1 & 2)

4. The relation b-n tenor & vehicle.

5. The type of a trope (metaphor or simile).

Images: ●general – embrace the whole book; ●individual – deal with a certain object, person, idea.

Images(Гальперин): ● visual – the easiest of perceptions, they are shaped through concrete pictures of content. Eg. Sky lamp of the night = image of moon. ● oral – are usually created by means of onomotapia. Eg. Splash, buzz. ● relational – show relations b-n objects. Eg. Man of England.

Expressive means – are those phonetic means, morphological forms, means of word-building, lexical, phraseological and syntactical forms – all of which function in a lng for emotional and logical intensification of an utterance (fixed un dictionaries and grammatical books).

A stylistic device – conscious and international literary use of some facts of lng for further intensification of the emotional or logical emphasis continued in the expressive means (they are abstract).

Expressive means and stylistic devices are polyfunctional:

• emphasis;

• rhythm;

• repetition;

• humorous effect.

Choice of expressive means and stylistic devices depends on aim of communication, attitude to the subject-matter. Choice may be logical, deliberate, emotional, social or pragmatic.

Types of lexical meaning:

1) dictionary mng;

2) contextual mng;

3) emotive mng;

4) logical mng (primary, secondary);

5) nominative mng (marked by capital letter).