Lexico-syntactical stylistic devices (lssd) (V.A.Kucharenko)

Lexico-syntactical stylistic devices (LSSD) are based on the binary opposition of lexical features of analogy and contrast and united by the syntactical feature of recurrence:

1) Analogy::recurrence (Simile, Climax, Periphrasis)

2) Contrast::recurrence (Anticlimax, Antithesis, Litotes)

Simile is a figure of speech based on similarity of objects belonging to different semantic groups: “A style without metaphor and simile is to me like a day without the sun, or woodland without birds” (Lucas)

“Sometimes she seemed invisible like peace” (Gr.Green)

Simile consists of 3 components:

1. tenor ( the object, which is compared);

2. vehicle (the object or the notion, with which tenor is being compared;

3. tertium comparationis ( the basis of comparison, the group of words, having the qualities of both components: tenor and vehicle). “They make an impression easily like a ship in water”.

Tertium comparationis denotes a feature, quality, action, impression or attitude. The formal markers are: like; as…as; as though; as if; such as; seem.

Stylistic functions of simile:

1) Evokes fresh images;

2) Reveals the author’s attitude, when it is original (fresh).

Traditional simile: as thin as a rake; as fresh as a daisy; as drunk as a lord.

Periphrasis is the use of a longer phrase with descriptive epithets instead of a short and simple form of expressing the same thought.

Periphrasis is:

1. Logical: The author of one’s being – father.

2. Figurative: “His studio is full of the mute evidences of his failure” – pictures.

3. Euphemistic: “He has the sun very strong in his eyes” (being drunk).

“I am thinking an unmentionable thing about your mother”“(vulgar).

It both names and describes the object, expressing the author’s attitude ironically, humorously and metaphorically.

Climax (gradation) - an ascending series of words or utterances in which intensity or significance increases step by step. e.g. Every racing car, every racer, every mechanic, every ice - cream van was also plastered with advertising.

Climax or gradation (Greek climax –“ladder”; Latin gradatio – “ascent, climbing up”) is a type of semantically complicated parallelism, in which every successive unit is logically more important or emotionally stronger or more explicit than the preceding one. Climax is based on the usage of homogeneous members which are arranged in ascending or descending scale, reaching climax or the highest (the lowest) point of intensity or expressiveness: “Walls – palaces – half – cities, have been reared”. “He was numbed. He wanted to weep, to vomit, to die, to sink away”. (A.B.)

Climax is marked by parallelism, enumeration and repetition.

“The liar! The brute! The monster! (Emotive climax, ascending scale)

“Not a word, Sam – not a syllable!” (D.) (Descending scale)

The first type of climax (the literary one) will be the following fragment: “and he PULLED! And the tail broke” whereas the second (the stylistic one) is much lengthier –“so he took off his plaid, and bent down and took hold of the sheep’s tail, and he pulled! The sheep was heavy with water, and he could not lift her, so he took off his coat and he pulled! But it was too much for him, so he spit on his hands, and took a good hold of the tail and he PULLED! And the tail broke! And if it had not been for that this tale would have been a great deal longer”.

Leading to the climax (understood as a literary term), the latter shows how gradually the character’s involvement and excitement, as well as the tension of the narration, grow. It is worth while to note that this happens not infrequently in literary works on the whole and in short stories in particular. The climax (as gradation) is often a formal marker preceding the climax (as culmination).

According to I.R.Galperin and V.A.Kukharenko a gradual increase in significance may be maintained in three ways: logical, emotional and quantitative. Study the table below:

Table 11

Types of Climax	Logical	Every succeeding concept is logically more important than the previous one.
	Emotional/ Emotive	A row of synonyms with emotive meaning (often contextual ones) gradually increase the emotional tension of the utterance.
	Quantitative	An increase in the volume, size or number of each succeeding unit is implied.

Climax (gradation): Homogeneous members are arranged in ascending or descending scale, reaching climax or the highest (the lowest) point of intensity or expressiveness: “Walls – palaces – half – cities, have been reared”. “He was numbed. He wanted to weep, to vomit, to die, to sink away”. (A.B.)

CONTRAST::RECURRENCE: