3. Types of meaning in stylistics

The main category of ST is imagery. It is created by lexical meaning of differ kinds. The linguistic term “m-ng” has been “defined in so many ways that there appears an urgent need to clarify it; particularly in view of the fact that in so many lexical, grammatical and phonetic SDs this category is treated differently. A SD is mainly realized when a double application of m-ng is apparent. The problem of m-ng in general linguistics deals mainly with such aspects of the term as the interrelation between m-ng and con­cept, m-ng and sign, m-ng and referent. The general tendency is to regard m-ng as smth stable at a given period of time. This is reasonable, otherwise no dictionary would be able to cope with the problem of defining the m-ng of words. Moreover, no communication would be possible. Words can be classed acc to diff principles: morphologi­cal "(parts of speech), semantic (synonyms, antonyms, thematic), stylistic and other types of classification. In each of these classifications lexical or/and grammatical m-ngs assume diff manifestations. In a morphological classification words are grouped acc to their grammatical m-ngs; in a semantic clas­sification, acc to their logical (referential) m-ngs, in a stylis­tic classification, acc to their stylistic m-ng. In stylistics m-ng is also viewed as a category which is able to acquire m-ngs imposed on the words by the context. That is why such "m-ngs are called contextual m-ngs. This cate­gory also takes under observation m-ngs which have fallen out of use. In stylistics it is important to discriminate shades of m-ng, to atomize the meaning, the component parts of which are now called the semes i.e. the smallest units of which meaning of a Word consists. lexical meaning differs from gr m-ng in more than one way. L e x m-ng refers the mind to some concrete concept, phenomenon, or thing of ob­jective reality, whether real or imaginary. Lexical meaning is thus a means by which a word-form is made to express a definite concept. Gг meaning refers our mind to relations b/n words or to some forms of-words or constructions bearing upon their structural functions in the language-as-a-system. Grammatical m-ning can thus be adequately called "structural meaning". The problem of abstractness, and especially the degree of abstractness, is of vital importance in stylistics in more than one respect. Stylistics deals not only with the aesthetic and emotional impact of the language. It also studies the means of producing impressions in our mind. Impres­sion is the first and rudimentary stage of concept. But the concept through a reverse process may build another kind of impression. Impressions that are secondary to concepts, in other words, which have been born by concepts, are called imagery. Imagery is mainly produced by the interplay of different m-ngs. Concrete objects are easily perceived by the senses. Abstract notions are perceived by the mind. When an abstract notion is by the force of the mind represented through a concrete object, an image is the result. Imagery may be built on the interrelation of two abstract notions or two concrete objects or an abstract and a concrete one. Three types of m-ng can be distinguished logical, emotive and nominal. LogicaI m-ng is the precise naming of a feature of the idea, phenomenon or'object, the name by which we recognize the whole of the concept. This meaning is also synonymously called referential meaning or direct meaning. Referential m-ngs are liable to change. As a result the referential meanings of one word may denote different concepts. It is therefore nec­essary to distinguish b/n primary and secondary referential m-ng. Thus, the adv.” Inwardly” has the primary m-ng of * in­ternally', within'. Its 2ry logical meanings are: 'towards the centre', 'mentally', 'secretly', which are to some extent derived from the primary meaning. Some dictionaries give a very extended list of pri­mary and 2ry m-ngs, and it is essential for stylistic purposes to distinguish them, as some stylistic devices are built on the interplay of primary and secondary logical meanings. The meanings that are to be found in speech or writing and which are accidental should not be regarded as components of the semantic structure of the word. They may be transitory, th why as they depend on the context. They are contextual m-ngs. Such m-ngs are also called derivative meanings. The potentiality of words can also be noted in regard to emotive m-ng. Emotive m-ng also materializes a concept in the word, but, unlike logical m-ng, emotive m-ng has reference not directly to things or phenomena of objective reality, but to the feelings & emo­tions of the speaker towards these things or to his emotions as such. Th why the emotive m-ng bears reference to things, phenomena/ideas through a kind of evaluation of them. Their function is to reveal the subjective, evaluating attitude of the writ­er to the things or events spoken of. Emotional coloring m/be regarded as a rudimentary stage of emotive m-ng: This is generally fixed as an independent meaning in good dictionaries. nominal m-ng is a derivative logical meaning. To distinguish NM from logical m-ng the former is designated by a capital letter. Everest, Black Sea, Thames. Most proper names have NM wh m/be regarded as homonyms of common nouns with their logical or emotive meanings, as Hope, Browning, Taylor, Scotland, Black, Chandler, Chester (from the Latin word castra—'camp'). Thus, logical meanings which nominate an object, at the same time signify the whole class of these objects.

The main category of Stylistics is imagery. It is created on the basis of interplay of different kinds of meaning realized in the text.

There are three main types of meaning which are important for the creation of imagery:

• logical

• emotive

• nominal.

Logical meaning is the precise (точный) naming of a feature of the idea, phenomenon or object, the name by which the whole of the concept is recognized. It is synonymously called referential or direct meaning. As referential meaning is due to changes it is important to differentiate between referential and logical aspect, direct and indirect meaning.

All the meanings fixed in dictionaries comprise the semantic structure of the word. The meaning that is to be found in speech or writing may not belong to the semantic structure. This is contextual meaning, Contextual meaning is born in the context and disappear if the context is altered. e.g. “The governor said that he would not allow the presence of federal troops on the soil of his State” (the word ‘presence’ is used in its logical meaning – ‘placement’. In the sentence “The General has been faced with the problem of the country’s presence on foreign soil, the stubborn resistance of officers and officials” the word ‘presence’ is used in the meaning of ‘occupation’ which does not belong to the semantic structure of the word ‘presence’ but somehow reminds or makes it sound with additional shades of sense.

Emotive meaning materializes a concept in the word but has reference not directly to things or phenomena of objective reality, but to the feelings and emotions of the speaker. The emotive meaning bears reference to things through a kind of evaluation, e.g. “I feel so darned lonely” in which the word ‘darned’ may be replaced by extremely, absolutely showing the degree of loneliness, discomfort of being lonely.

Some words with emotive meaning have practically lost their logical meaning, or at least it has become less evident because the lexemes are so often used to name feeling, emotions and evaluations that their emotive component has become more prominent, e.g. alas, pooh, the devil, Christ, goodness gracious, damn, bloody.

Nominal meaning is realized in language units which are labeled in grammars as proper nouns. Their function is not to single out one of the objects of the class but to make it unique. The nominative meaning may be derived from the logical meaning (He is the Everest in physics) or emotive meaning (Mistress Hope is the governess of the world).

Nominal meaning may be converted into a logical meaning due to circumstances, e.g. sandwich (originally the name of a poker player who invented a new type of meal because he did not want to leave the game-table), boycott (originally the name of the family who had nasty relations with the neighbours so that nobody wanted to contact the people).