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9Y. Valova
DIFFERENTIAL SEMANTICS OF THE ENGLISH VERBS DECLINE, REFUSE, REJECT
Keywords: meta-language, semantic role, force application, mental force, volitional force, mental force application control, frame, differential information, integral information, phases of predicate denotation
Abstract: The research reveals the differential information of the meaning of the English verbs decline, refuse, reject. The integral information which refers these verbs to a single lexical-semantic group of verbs is the information about refusal: "Subject refuses Object". Differentiation of the meanings of the verbs decline, refuse, reject is carried out by determining the structure of semantic roles of the verbs. Disclosure of the meaning of the linguistic units is performed by semantic interpretation with the help of particular metalinguistic notions. The differential information of the verbs is the information indicating the grounds on the basis of which Subject doesn't accept Object.
Ключевые слова: метаязык, семантическая роль, приложение силы, ментальная сила, волевая сила, контроль за приложением ментальной силы, фрейм, дифференциальная информация, интегральная информация, фазы денотата предиката
Аннотация: Исследование раскрывает дифференциальное значение английских глаголов возражения decline, refuse, reject. Дифференциация значений глагольных лексем осуществляется за счет определения структуры ролевой семантики предикатов. Раскрытие содержания языковой единицы осуществляется путем семантического толкования с помощью определенного набора метаязыковых понятий, которые выявляются на основании наблюдения и анализа фактического материала, формулировки гипотез о структуре семантической роли с последующей верификацией в тестах. Интегральной информацией для исследуемой группы глаголов возражения является семантика отказа субъекта Хот объекта У. Дифференциальной информацией значений исследуемых глаголов возражения является информация, указывающая на основания, в соответствии с которыми субъект Х выносит отрицательное суждение об объекте У.
The research is based on the development of such a conceptual language that is used for the interpretation of the lexical meaning of verbs. Such meta-language is developed for a specific lexis. This approach is illustrative of the scientific School of O. Seliverstova [Seliverstova 1982; 2004]. Such methods makes it possible to formulate hypotheses about the semantic structure of different meanings of verbs, to verify the hypotheses by drawing upon experimental research, to model the semantic structure of verbs.
Differentiation of the meanings of verbs is carried out by determining the structure of semantic roles of verbs. Disclosure of the meaning of linguistic units is performed by semantic interpretation with the help of particular metalinguistic notions. These notions are revealed on the ground of observation and analysis of factual material, the formulation of hypotheses about the structure of semantic roles, verification of hypotheses in tests [Seliverstova 1982; Shabanova 1998]. The research of revealing the differentiation meaning of verb synonyms of different lexical-semantic groups has shown that the differentiation of the meaning of verbs is largely dependent on the structure of semantic roles of verbs [Amirova, 2002; Bostonov, 2005; Bayburina, 2006; Shvayko, 2006; Sherstkova, 2009; Volkova, 2009; Korneyeva, 2010; Kuzmina 2012].
In this research, the means of describing the lexical meaning of the English verbs decline, refuse, reject is a "semantic role". Semantic role as a unit of semantic meta-language reveals the potential role valence of these verbs.
The semantic roles in the position of Subject, Objects and causative actant of the verbs decline, refuse, reject are characterized by a number of semantic notions which are universal entities used for the semantic interpretation of linguistic units: force, type of force, force application, vector of force application, initiation volition, application force control, force application perception. These basic semantic notions can be complemented by semantic entities that form the additional meanings by means of the other members of a sentence. The semantic role approach reflects the requirements for the meaning disclosure of a linguistic unit.
The basic semantic notions used for the interpretation of English verbs decline, refuse, reject comprise such components as "force", "force application", "initiative", "controllability", "perception" in different phases of predicate denotation ("force" as a notion is described in detail in the theoretical-experimental research of Shabanova [Shabanova 1998]).
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"Force" is leading for characteristics of the English verbs decline, refuse, reject, as the activity described by these lexical units presupposes an active subject, which initiates and controls the negative judgment.
The Subject of the prototypical meaning of the English verbs investigated is a person who is a carrier of mental force. "Mental force" is not a homogeneous notion, it includes the comprehension of such steps as the information perception, information analysis and its negative judgment, implying a negative judgment of the Object as a result of the analysis and synthesis of the information received. Therefore, we can say that the Subject structure of the English verbs decline, refuse, reject is characterized by the semantic feature "mental force application". Steps of mental force application can be shown in the following scheme:
The scheme shows that the frame structure of the verbs decline, refuse, reject involves several phases. We use A. Fried's predicate phase theory [Freed 1979] consisting of the following phases: onset, nucleus, coda. The Subject of the verbs manifests in a difficult combinatorics of different forces application on the preceding phase and on the phase of nucleus. This manifestation represents a potential controllability on the phase of onset, when the Subject as a carrier of higher mental performance analyzes and judges the information received. However, on the phase of onset the negative judgement doesn't occur. The negative evaluation occurs on the nucleus phase which is the source of the lexical-semantic verb group's differentiation.
The subject's active role of the English verbs decline, refuse, reject is its role to create predicate denotation, which includes the information about such steps of human mental activity as information perception, its analysis and judgement and its negative evaluation. This mental activity can be represented like a situation comprising actants. The Subject role is performed by a person who is the carrier of mental force that is of heterogeneous character. The Object of the situation is the information received. The result of information analysis and judgment is a negative evaluation. The characteristics of Object (the characteristics of the information received) reveals the mechanism of the verb meaning changing.
The English verbs decline, refuse, reject are characterized by the frame with a number of actants: X, Y, Z, where X is the subject of a situation characterized by the semantic role of doer, who as a carrier of the higher mental performance controls the volitional force application; Y is the object of a situation characterized by the semantic role of Object standard/norm with respect to which X makes a negative judgment; Z is another participant of a situation characterized by the
semantic role of causative actant. The causative actant influences subject's negative judgment about object.
The integral information of the meaning of the verbs decline, refuse, reject is the subject's refusal of the object.
As a hypothesis there was defined differential information in the structure of the subject and the object of the verbs decline, refuse, reject. The differential information of the verb meaning is the grounds under which subject judges negatively about object.
The reason for the subject's negative judgment about the object in the meaning of the verb decline is the information about the object's discrepancy for the subject's certain arrangements (personal principles, physiological characteristics, environmental factors, personal concerns, personal interests). The object is the carrier of such information in which there is no subject's negative attitude toward the object. Example:
1. She pressed me to take some cream crackers also, but I declined because I thought I would make too much noise. - J. Joyce
2. "Write that you decline to support this scheme of hers, as you hold it to be a dishonest scheme."- Oscar Wilde
3. The author, on a former occasion, declined giving the real source from which he drew the tragic subject of this history, because, though occurring at a distant period, it might possibly be unpleasing to the feelings of the descendants of the parties. - Walter Scott
4. The lover, in return, declined positively to receive such an answer from any one but his mistress in person. - Walter Scott
In example 1 in the meaning of the verb decline the subject I refuses the object to take some cream crackers under the influence of the surrounding atmosphere which is the reason because I thought I would make too much noise of the subject's impossibility to accept the object to take some cream crackers.
In examples 2, 3, and 4 in the meaning of the verb decline the subjects you, the author, the lover refuse to accept the objects to support this scheme of hers, giving the real source, to receive such an answer on the ground of the subject's you, the author, the lover certain moral principles and personal concerns. In the example the reasons on the ground of which the subjects don't accept the objects are: to support this scheme of hers, giving the real source, to receive such an answer are used explicitly: as you hold it to be a dishonest scheme; because, though occurring at a distant period, it might possibly be unpleasing to the feelings of the descendants of the parties; from any one but his mistress in person.
The differential information in the meaning of the verb refuse is that another participant of a situation (causative actant) makes the subject do something, but the subject doesn't accept this on the grounds that the subject finds the object unacceptable. Example:
5. Mr. Lawrence had been invited to join us, but, for some reason best known to himself, had refused to give us his company. - Anne Bronte
6. He attempted to put a piece of gold into her hand, which she refused to receive; and, in the slight struggle attending his wish to force it upon her, it dropped to the earth. - Walter Scott
7. They both partook of the cake, but obstinately refused the wine, in spite of their hostess's hospitable attempts to force it upon them. - Anne Bronte
8. Lord Arthur at first refused absolutely to come, but Surbiton, of whom he was extremely fond, finally persuaded him. - Oscar Wilde
Example 5 emphasises the meaning of the verb refuse in which the causative actant we makes the subject Mr. Lawrence do something to join us. But the subject Mr. Lawrence doesn't accept to do this on the ground of some personal reasons for some reason best known to himself and on the ground of the fact that the subject finds the object to give us his company unacceptable.
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In examples 6,7,8 the information about the causative actant's impact is explicitly emphasized: He attempted to put a piece of gold into her hand, in the slight struggle attending his wish to force it upon her; in spite of their hostess's hospitable attempts to force it upon them; finally persuaded him.
The differential information in the meaning of the verb reject is the subject's negative judgement about the causative actant's impact that makes the subject own the object. The reason for the subject's negative judgment about the object is the object quality discrepancy for the su b-ject's requirements. Examples:
9. She had, or might have had many suitors in her own rank of life, but she scornfully rejected them all, for none but a gentleman could please her refined taste, and none but a rich one could satisfy her soaring ambition. - Anne Bronte
10. Indeed, it occurred to her very forcibly that even now his stupid pride might cause him to reject her money altogether. - Edgar Coppard
11. "Oh, but do stay and take a little! It will be ready in five minutes." But he rejected the offer with a majestic wave of the hand. "I'll tell you what I'll take, Mrs. Markham. I'll take a glass of your excellent ale!" - Anne Bronte
12. "Would you believe it, I made this very morning two suits to the Prince, and he has rejected them both. What do you think of it?" - Walter Scott
13. "The lady, if I understand you, has already rejected your interference in the matter." -Walter Scott
Example 9 emphasises the meaning of the verb reject in which the causative actant makes the subject she have the object many suitors in her own rank of life. The reason for the subject's refusal of the object many suitors in her own rank of life is the object quality discrepancy for none but a gentleman could pleased her refined taste, and none but a rich one could satisfy her soaring ambition of the subject's requirements.
In example 10 the causative actant she makes the subject he have the object her money, but the subject he refuses to accept the object her money because the object her money is discrepant for the subject's requirements which are explicitly used in the sentence his stupid pride might cause him.
Thus, the English verbs decline, refuse, reject from the point of view of semantics refer to the heterogeneous verbs. Semantics of these verbs includes several steps of human mental activity: information perception, its analysis and judgement and its negative evaluation. For the differentiation of the meaning of the verbs it's important to take into consideration the information on the basis of which the subject doesn't accept the object, the information characteristics, explicitly emphasized members of a sentence. All these components are characterized by their own differential semantic features which define the meaning of the verbs.
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