Lecture 4 Theme Stylistic Lexicology Plan 1 Word

Lecture 4. Theme: Stylistic Lexicology Plan: 1. Word as the most significant unit of stylistic analysis. 2. Types of meaning of the word: -Lexical - Connotative -Denotative - Figurative 3. Stylistic classification of the English vocabulary: - Literary, neutral and colloquial layers -Terms - Poetic (highly literary) words -Barbarisms - Literary coinages - Special colloquial vocabulary: slang words, jargonisms, professionalisms, dialectal words, vulgar words

Types of meaning of the word. The lexical meaning of the word – is a realization of a notion, emotion by means of a language system. Every lexico-semantic variant is expressed through peculiarities of its lexical and grammatical valence. Lexical valence is a potential ability of the word to conjoin with other words, lexical groups, classes of words. Syntactical valence is a potential ability of the word to take a definite position in some syntactical structures and its ability to be syntactically connected with some classes of words. The semantic structure of the word consists of various types of meanings. The major type is denotative meaning which informs about the subject of communication. The 2 nd type is connotative meaning which informs about the participants and conditions of communication.

Connotative meaning: Pragmatic – directed at the perlocutionary effect of the utterance. Associative – connected through individual psychological and linguistic associations with related and non-related notions Ideological (conceptual) – revealing political, social, ideological preferences of the user. Evaluative –stating the value of the indicated notion. Emotive – revealing the emotive layer of cognition and perception. Stylistic – indicating the register of the language, that means – the functional style Expressive – aiming at creating the image of the object in question.

Stylistic classification of the English vocabulary: Horse – neutral, Steed – poetic, geegee – nursery The English vocabulary can be subdivided into 3 main layers: The literary layer – subgroups of words that have markedly bookish character. The neutral layer – universal character The colloquial layer – lively spoken layer

Literary vocabulary: Common literary Terms Poetic words Archaic words Barbarisms and foreign words Literary coinages including nonce-words Colloquial layer Common colloquial words Slang Jargonisms Professionalisms Dialectal words Vulgar words Colloquial coinages

Neutral words are the bulk of the vocabulary. They have no stylistic colouring and can be used in any situation of communication. Common literary words are used in the written form of the language and in polished speech. Common colloquial words are used in the spoken variant of the language. Both literary and colloquial layers have their upper and lower ranges. Upper literary layer infant Lower literary layer Neutral layer child Upper colloquial layer kid Lower colloquial layer