What is the most typical oxymoron?

Seminar 3

Lexical Stylistic Devices

Basic Terms

Antonomasia –SD, in which a proper name is used instead of a common noun or vice versa

Epithet –attributive characterization of a person, thing or phenomenon, when the emotive meaning of the word is foregrounded to suppress the denotational meaning

Euphemism-word or phrase used to replace an unpleasant word or expression by a conventionally more acceptable one

Hyperbole–deliberate exaggeration of the feature, essential to the object or phenomenon

Irony–SD, in which the contextual evaluative meaning of a word is directly opposite to its dictionary meaning

Metaphor - SD, in which the name of one object is applied to another object, basing on the similarity of two objects

Metonymy – SD, in which the name of one object is used instead of another object, basing on the contiguity of two objects

Oxymoron –combination of two words, in which their meanings clash, being quite opposite

Periphrasis –use of a longer phrasing instead of a shorter and plainer form

Personification – SD, which endows a thing or a phenomenon with features peculiar of a human being

Pun-play upon words

Simile – stylistic comparison, based on the analogy between two things, which possess some features in common, otherwise being entirely different

Synecdoche–type of metonymy, based on quantitative relations

Understatement (meiosis) – hyperbole, directed in the opposite way

Zeugma –SD, consisting of one main element and a number of adjuncts, representing semantically different word classes, differing in the type and degree of cohesion with the main element

Items for discussion:

1. Types of meaning:

1) What are different types of lexical meaning?

There are different types of lexical meaning; they are primary, contextual, derivative, logical, emotive, and nominal.

2) What principle is taken for the basis of classifying lexical SD?

The principle of indirection of different types of lexical meaning is taken for the bases of classifying lexical stylistic devices.

3) What lexical SDs are based on the principle of interaction of primary and contextual meanings, primary and derivative meanings, logical and emotive, logical and nominative?

The primary meaning is meaning which a register in the language as a easily recognize sign for a notion or objet.
Contextual meaning is an additional lexical meaning which is realize in a context
Derived a meaning which an be registered as a secondary one and which is derived from the primary meaning by means of metaphor and metonymy.
Logical meaning is the precise of the feature idea or phenomenon.
Emotive meaning has the reference to the feelings o the speaker to the subject
Nominal meaning expresses concepts indicating a particular object out of the concepts.

2. Metaphor, metonymy, irony:

1) What is metaphor?

Metaphor is transference of some quality from one object to another on the basis of their similarity

Similarity on which metaphorical renemy is based may concern any property of the thing mend. It may be color, form, character of motion, speed, dimension, value. There is no connection between this object in reality. As the objects are disconnected, the speaker should search for osciactions in hi mined and it requires some intellectual affords. A metaphor becomes a SD when 2 different objects are simultaneously broad to mined by the imposition of some of the inherent property on the one objet on the other which is deprived of this properties. It may be a word, fraise or even a sentence.

2) What is a prolonged длительный metaphor?

Sustained or prolonged metaphors may be injected with new live with a help of additional words containing logical development of the previous metaphor (“ Mr Pickwick bottled up his vengeance and corked it down”)

3) What is metonymy?

Metonymy is a transfer of meaning based on contiguity. It based on the principle of substitution of one object for another unlike metaphor the objects compared throe metonymies are connected in reality.

4) What are the types of relations metonymy is based on?

· A concrete thing used instead of an abstract notion ( “The cump, the pulpit and the law For rich men’s sons are free.” (Shelly))

· The container instead of the thing contained ( the hall applauded)

· The relation of proximity (“The round game table was boisterous and happy”. (Disckens))

· The material may be used instead of the thing made of it; (e.g. The marble stock.)

· The instrument which the doer uses in performing the action instead of the action or the doer

· A part instead of the whole and vv / synecdoche/ the name of the genus instead of the usage specious ( Stop torturing the poor animal

5) What is irony?

Ironyis a stylistic device based on the simultaneous realization of two logical meanings (dictionary and contextual), these are meanings stand in opposition to each other.Can be realized by mean a separated words usually as adjective and verbs, words combination, whole sentences. It can hardly bestride. It used in humorous, satirical … it mustn’t be confused in humor it always produces satirical affect which is negative while humor always causes laughter. Irony is highly felt in elevated linguistic units with reference to in significant social low topics.

6) What is the difference between irony and humour?

3. Zeugma, pun:

1) What is zeugma?

Zeugma is the use of a word in the same grammatical, but different semantic relations to two adjusted words. E.g. “she dropped a tear and her pocked handkerchief.

2) What texts is zeugma generally used in?

It consists on comporting unequal semantically heterogeneous or evens a compatible word or phrases. It is realized within the limits of one in the same sentence its aim is to produce a humorous affect. It’s primarily used in emotive verbs.

3) What is pun?

Pun (play upon words) is a stylistic device based on the interaction of two well-known meaning of a word or phrase. E.g. Is life worth living? It depends upon the liver. The pun is based n policemy and homonymy.

4) Where are puns often used?

5) What is the difference between pun and zeugma?

4. Epithet, oxymoron:

1) What is epithet?

Epitet is a word, a phrase or even a sentence used to characterize an object and pоint out some properties of the object with the aim of giving an individual perception of these properties. It is markedly subjected. It strongly influenced a reader. аdj are especially effected by the formation effectives, adverbs may also be epithets.

2) How are epithets classified?

They may be classified symphatic:

1. Associated epithets point to a feature. Which is essential to the object they describe

2. Unassociated epithets are the attributes used to characterize the objet by adding a feature which isn’t inherence in it.

Structurally they may subdivide into:

1. Simple (sweet voice)

2. Compound ( heart-burning smile)

3. Phrase (good – for – nothing boy)

4. Sentence ( he spoke in what-are-your-going-to-do-about-it manner)

5. Reversed (two nouns linked in an of-phrase) (e.g. military abbreviation of a smile)

From the point of the distribution:

1. Transferred epithets are ordinary logical attributes describing a state of a human being, but created to refer to an inanimate object. E.g. sleeplows pewol

2. String of epithets gives a many – sided depiction o the object. E.g. rosy – checked

4) What parts of speech are predominantly преимущественно used as epithets and why?

used to characterize an object and pоint out some properties of the object with the aim of giving an individual perception of these properties. It is markedly subjected. It strongly influenced a reader. аdj are especially effected by the formation effectives, adverbs may also be epithets.

5) What is oxymoron?

Oxymoron is a combination of two words in which the meanings of the two clash, being opposite in sense. (awfully nice) in may have 2 structural modals: adj+n; adverb+adj. its aim is to create a humorous effect. It may be used in oratory speeches in advertising in proce.