Recommended Literature
1. Стилистика английского языка / А.Н.Мороховский, О.П.Воробьёва, Н.И.Лихошерст, З.В.Тимошенко. – К.: Вища школа, 1991. – С. 163-186.
2. Galperin I.R. Stylistics. – M.: Higher School Publ. House, 1981. – P. 136-153, 157-177.
Optional Literature
Кухаренко В.А. Практикум з стилістики англійської мови. – Вінниця: “Нова книга”, 2000. – С. 42-68.
Basic notions
Semasiology is a branch of linguistics which studies semantics (meaning) of linguistic units belonging to different language levels.
Lexical semasiology is concerned with the meaning of different linguistic units, correlation between these meanings and the changes the meanings undergo.
Stylistic semasiology is interested in the stylistic meaning only, i.e. the additional meaning of linguistic units, which may appear due to:
the unusual denotative reference of linguistic units as bearers of meaning – semasiological EM;
2) the unusual combination of meanings expressed by the linguistic units – semasiological SDs.
Thus, stylistic semasiology deals with those semantic relations and changes which form the basis of EM and SDs.
Semasiological EMs are different means of secondary nomination, i.e. figures of substitution, either existing in the language in a ready-made form or coined in speech on the basis of regular (recurrent) patterns.
-
Figures of Substitution
-
Figures of Quantity
Figures of Quality
-
Hyperbole
sis
Meiosis
Litotes
Metonymy
Synecdoche
Periphrasis
Euphemism
(dysphemism)
Metaphor
Personification Antonomasia
Allegory
Allusion
Epithet
Irony
Hyperbole is a deliberate overstatement or exaggeration aimed at intensifying one of the features of the object in question.
Meiosis is a deliberate understatement, i.e. lessening, weakening or reducing the real characteristics of the object of speech.
Litotes is expressing an idea by means of negating the opposite idea or the statement in the form of negation.
Metonymy is a figure of secondary nomination based upon contiguity, i.e. upon a real connection between two objects: that which is named and that the name of which is taken. Types of metonymy forming relations are manifold.
The simplest type of Metonymy is Synecdoche – using the name of a part to denote the whole and vice versa.
Periphrasis (from Greek: peri – around; phraseo – speak) is a stylistic figure which lies in naming the characteristic features of the object instead of naming the object itself. It can be based on the logical connection of the descriptive phrase with a definite feature of the object described (logical periphrasis) or on metaphor or metonymy (figurative periphrasis).
Euphemism (Greek euphēmismos < eu “well” + phēme “speaking”) is a word or phrase used to replace an unpleasant word or expression by a conventionally more acceptable one.
Euphemisms may be divided into several groups: religious, connected with death, medical, political, moral etc.
Dysphemisms are deliberately rough and unpleasant expressions replacing neutral/ positive units in order to express contempt, irritation, hatred and other negative attitudes on the part of the speaker.
Metaphor – expressive renaming on the basis of similarity, likeness, or affinity (real or imaginary) of two objects: the real object of speech and the one whose name is actually used.
Structurally metaphors are simple (elementary) or prolonged (sustained).
Personification – is attributing human properties to lifeless objects, mostly to abstract notions, such as thoughts, actions, intentions, emotions, seasons of the year etc.
Allegory is a means of expressing abstract ideas through concrete pictures.
Allusion is a brief reference to some literary or historical event commonly known.
Antonomasia (Greek: antonomasia – “renaming”) is a peculiar variety of metaphor in which a proper name is used instead of a common noun or vice versa.
Epithet expresses characteristics of an object, both existing and imaginary. Its basic feature is its subjectivity and emotiveness: it gives an individual perception and evaluation of some properties.
Semantically epithets may be divided into two groups: associated and unassociated (I.R.Galperin); or affective and figurative (V.A.Kukharenko).
As to their structure and the number of components, epithets may be used singly, in pairs, in chains/ strings, in two-step structures, also as phrase epithets, sentence epithets. A specific variety of epithet is an inverted/ reversed epithet (the devil of a man).
Irony (Greek: eironea – “concealed mockery”) is a trope, a renaming based on the opposition of two notions: the notion named and the notion meant. Irony is commonly used with the aim of critical evaluation of the thing spoken about. The general scheme is: “praise stands for blame”.