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31PHILOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Petréniené Ona
VytautasMagnus University, Academy of Education (Lithuania) DOI: 10.24411/2520-6990-2019-11113
ON TROPES IN LITHUANIAN SCIENCE POPULARISATION TEXTS
Abstract
The article analyses tropes used in Lithuanian science popularisation texts. Tropes allow to perceive the research object in a new way and to create a possibility of approaching usual concepts from different perspectives.
The research data reveal that firstly tropes (metaphor, metonymy, etc.) perform the function of impact. One of the most important function, i.e. esthetical one, is only secondary in the analysed texts. The potential of such figures to convey factual information in a concise manner becomes essential in science popularisation texts.
Key words: expressiveness, tropes, metaphor, metonymy, science popularisation texts.
The purpose of science popularisation texts to familiarise the broad public with knowledge in a specific field and to build up a primary cognitive interest creates the necessity to modify the scientific language [1, p. 519]. Attempts are also made to communicate lay versions of scientific knowledge supplemented by ideology and opinion of a scholar [2, p. 371]. The authors of science popularisation texts convey objective contents to the public at large employing specific linguistic means of expression, create specific manner of conveying information significantly departing from rather strict canons of expression of scientific thought but following the principle of scientific nature.
The constructive principle of science popularisation is based on contamination of expressive means with different stylistic values. Thus, such texts convey unbiased intellectual content and its expression is revealed through means of linguistic expression (frequently through actualised ones), which meet the needs of efficient communication best. Tropes appear to be the most frequent means of expressiveness found in the analysed texts.
The goal of the article is to discuss previously scarcely analysed usage of tropes in Lithuanian science popularisation texts. The objectives are to reveal the peculiarities of using tropes in Lithuanian science popularisation text also emphasising the specifics of such texts. The research material was randomly selected from science popularisation articles and books, which were written by Lithuanian authors and targeted at the general public. The traditional descriptive analytical method, which allowed to evaluate theoretical aspects as well as empirical material and to formulate conclusions, was chosen. This method was revised by the method of systemic analysis.
The research data reveal that tropes in science popularisation texts most frequently fail to perform their esthetical function (as in the artistic style) and when they are created by analogy and become clichés, they enhance informative load of the sentence.
Metaphor. Metaphors serve different functions in Lithuanian science popularisation texts. Traditionally it is used as a means of expressiveness: a metaphor is understood as a transfer of meaning of a word based on the association of similarity between referents. Par-
alelly, a metaphor performs a decorative function. E.g.: People, who submerge in science or ideas, frequently live like loners, not noticing or understanding much. However, it can be seen that the role of metaphors, just like that of other actualised means used in science popularisation texts, is auxiliary, that is, their ability to convey (and to help readers to understand) factual information in the analysed texts is more important than their figurativeness. Metaphor "is not only an adornment of a though or a text. It is linked to the individual's mental activity as it helps to learn, structure, evaluate and explain world phenomena" [3, p. 36]. Therefore, in science popularisation texts metaphors are most frequently used as one of the most essential ways of cognition that reveals the essence of unfamiliar objects and enable a reader to understand the research object in anew. Scientific concepts in the texts that target at the public at large are metaphorically identified with examples of daily experiences that are well-known to the reader. The focus is on met-aphorisation of colloquial style (the principle of accessibility is realised). E.g.: "A pair of electrons" is more a mathematical concept because "the marriage" of two singled out electrons is short-term. Moreover, "the spouses" are away from each other over a big number of periods of crystal gratings and many twinned neighbours orbit among them. In such a way a usual image is reproduced and the conveyed knowledge becomes clear and understandable to any reader.
The metaphorical models used in various science popularisation texts from different branches of science reveal a common tendency of conceptualising and verbalising popularisation knowledge. This allows to identify universal strategies of metaphorisation in the analysed texts [4, p. 128-134]. There are two areas of metaphorical expression, i.e. MAN and NATURE, which are obvious in Lithuanian science popularisation texts. The metaphoric model of MAN is more active. MAN, his daily life is more familiar to the reader from the natural, necessary, ordinary daily life activity and from physical cognition. E.g.: (1) When a virus particle makes enters a cell, nucleic acid "strips" and separates itself from the protein membrane. (2) Some plants exploit other "weaknesses" of plants. NATURE itself frequently becomes the object of science popu-
larisation texts. Metaphorically there is a tendency to use only those elements of NATURE that are obvious, well-known and are automatically recalled in the mind of a person. E.g.: (1) Isn't the oncogene theory too pessimistic? Seeing as it claims that every human being carries the "s e e d" of death. (2) Seeking to help them not to get lost in the jungles of love tips, we have reviewed them and evaluated through the eyes of psychologist.
Metonymy. Metonymy is understood "as a transfer of the meaning of a word, which is grounded on associations of concepts" [5, p. 63], i.e. "when the name of one thing or phenomenon is substituted by another, and this transfer or change is based on associations among objects or phenomena" [6, p. 221]. The concepts can be related in terms of space, time, cause, results, location, material and others. Metonymy is "a part of the individual's thinking together with his/her linguistic expression, which helps to characterise a targeted activity and to revaluate it" [3, p. 43].
Metonymical ways of transforming a meaning help to perceive new information, to distinguish similarities of objects, phenomena or features as well as to connect them. Metonymical transfer of meaning is based on physical experience (communication, everyday things, actions, events, etc.). Reflexive transfers (causative, physical relations) are usually indicated directly. For example: There were many spheres in the young and emerging state, which needed diligent hands.
Metonymies are most frequently used in Lithuanian science popularisation texts realising the function of conveying the message (informative). New information is presented in a concise and elliptical manner. E.g.: (1) The concern about and interest in a person are best shown by actions rather than by winged phrases or tearful declarations. (2) Conducting research on the causes of this "civilised" disease, it was revealed that the neurogenic theory of G. Lango alone does not provide explanation of etiology of a hypertonic disease <...>. However, being vivid, a metonymy can serve as a means of expressive function. E.g.: "Roll your anger out". Several hours of bowling may help (especially if you set yourself a goal to knock out not only pins in your lane but also those neighbouring one as well). It should be pointed out that the functions performed by metonymies are closely interrelated.
The analysed science popularisation texts also contain other exclusive and non-standard means of linguistic expression. Such varieties of metaphor and metonymy [5, p. 64] as synecdoche, hyperbole, litotes etc. have to be mentioned.
Synecdoche. This variant of metonymy embodies quantitative relation of subordination: a part can be mentioned for the whole or conversely the whole for one of its parts, the singular can replace the plural, etc. The tendency to employ the synecdoche of number, when the singular is used instead of the majority, is observed in science popularisation texts. The singular acquires the generalised meaning, which is characteristic of conveying the scientific content. The things of certain kind are indicated ignoring their quantity and
the grammatical form refers to an undefinable group of objects. E.g.: The fish was most frequently caught with towed and static nets. (The figure in the original text isn't reflected in the translation. In original Lithuanian text: Dazniausiai zuv i gaudé velkamaisiais ir statomaisiais tinklais. )
The singular form replaced by the plural one in scientific popularisation texts helps to achieve expressiveness. E.g. : Thus, the search for new routes to legendary and fabulously rich "Indias" was firstly related to economic issues. As it can be seen from the presented example, the synecdoche of number is intertwined with antonomasia, one more variant of metonymy. The proper noun India is used in its common meaning. Generalising, according to K. Zuperka [5, p. 66], a proper noun does not contain any content and denotes a concreate reality rather than a concept. A proper name can refer to a concept only after it joins a group of common nouns, i.e. when used in its figurative meaning.
Hyperbole. The though expressed using a hyperbole (a trope, which is used to exaggerate the meaning of an object, its importance and power) is not identical with the reality. Hyperbolic transfer does not meet the real qualities of an object but subjectively reflects a feature of the object (or a certain aspect of the reality), which is of importance to the author. The reader is perfectly aware of the hyperbolic transfer of meaning and knows that the extent of exaggeration does not meet the reality and that the author deliberately tends to exaggerate the described phenomenon. E.g.: (1) The essence of this piece of advice is unexpected but rather simple: one day you have to be madly in love with him and the following day - to be as indifferent as Snow Queen. (2) In this case attention to each other is a hundred times more important than resourcefulness. Hyperbole enhances emotional impact and puts emphasis on the discussed object or phenomenon.
Litotes. In science popularisation texts, litotes (artistic understatement) is frequently used for the purpose of irony, seeking to disclose the negative aspects of the described object or to diminish the significance of the allegedly great activities. E.g.: However, "Apples from Hesperides", the twelfth deed of Heracles, which takes the readers far to the west again, that is, as far as the Atlas mountains in North Africa, raises a question if Euripides (500 BC), who wrote the tragedy "Heracles", had surrendered himself to the phantasies or if archeologists had overlooked such a "trifle" as ashes originating from the Taurus mountains in western regions of the Mediterranean see. The basis of expressiveness of this means firstly relates to the fact that deliberate diminishing is well understood to participants in communication.
Conclusions
1. According to the research data, tropes (metaphors, metonymies etc.) firstly perform the function of impact in Lithuanian science popularisation texts. The esthetical function, which is regarded as the main one of such means, is secondary in the analysed texts. The function of such means of expression to convey factual information in a concise manner is equally important in science popularisation texts.
2. It can be noted that authors of science popularisation texts give priority to systemic means of linguistic expression, i.e. most frequently prevailing means of expression are used. Metaphors and other tropes are most frequently "down-to-earth", the majority of them show their proximity to the discussed object, a direct relation between the object and the author, an emotional (frequently humoristic) evaluation. The usage of contextual means of those of individual styles is less frequent because readers of different age or educational background can differently interpret meanings of such figures. The transfer of meaning most frequently is based on physical experience (daily objects, things, actions, events, communication, etc.) and the focus is laid on ordinary understanding of the surrounding world.
3. Tropes in science popularisation texts allow for a new understanding of a research object and create a possibility of new approach towards common concepts. It can be stated that the models of composing tropes in science popularisation texts reveal the concept of reality phenomenon that existed in society prior to exhaustive scientific research, i.e. a primordial
way of explaining phenomena of reality Historically people endeavoured to explain many phenomena on the basis of their own experience, employing the understanding of own world and that of animate and inanimate nature around. This is a naive understanding about things, actions and processes.
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