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28SOME ASPECTS OF PHENOMENA OF PLEONASM AND TAUTOLOGY IN THE
ENGLISH AND UKRAINIAN SYNTAXES
Kirichenko O.A.
senior lecturer of the department of Germanic Languages,
Sumy State University Podoliaka I. O. student of the Faculty of Foreign Philology and Social Communications, Sumy State University
ABSTRACT
The article reveals the difference between the concepts of tautology and pleonasm and features of their functioning in the English and Ukrainian syntaxes. Pleonasm is examined from the viewpoint of the usage of different types of reiteration: anaphora, epiphora in both languages. The authors bring numerous examples proving that pleonasm and tautology have both negative and positive colouring. Such redundancy is reasonable within spoken, literary, sometimes journalistic styles, although in practical speech pleonasm and tautology are undesirable phenomena, peculiar defects of speech. The authors analyze verbal excess, the inclusion of words, unnecessary from the semantic point of view, being the result of the monotony of students' vocabulary, the result of choosing improper way of formulating thought, appropriate in a certain situation. The basic reasons for the existence of pleonazm and certain rules and strategies to avoid verbosity have been formulated. The authors provide research prospects of the phenomenon of pleonasm, particularly in terms of phonology, phonetics, vocabulary.
Keywords: pleonasm, tautology, redundancy of speech, speech defect, verbosity.
We often come across the phenomena of pleonasm and tautology in our everyday life; some expressions have become incorporated into the language that sometimes they have grown labeled and not perceived as erroneous.
This problem was investigated in the works of such scientists as John Berkman, V.V. Vinogradov, S.M. Denysko, D.P. Holobaev, L.A. Kulishenko, A.A. Saharovskyi, A.A. Selivanova, V.V. Shyprykevych, I.D. Yaroshchuk and others. In stylistics this problem is investigated in terms of normative application tautology, pleonasms and their variants (normative stylistics) and deviations (literary stylistics) and by literary criticism that creates the mechanisms for adequate interpretation of a literary text. Tautology in poetic work comes forward rarely in a pure form, more often it is combined with other means of expressiveness - synonyms, anaphora, epiphora (reiteration of identical words, sound combinations at the end of the verse lines), creating images aimed by the author. In modern philological science a concept of pleonasm is not clearly defined, so as viewpoints on either negative or positive coloring of these phenomena still differ.
Aim of the work: to investigate pleonasm and tautology from the point of view of stylistics, by the comparative analysis of literary and scientific styles, with the aim to reveal the correct choice of means, appropriate for a certain context, with the observance of norms of the language.
As the object of the research comes forward the role of pleonasms and tautologies in the literary and scientific styles of the English and Ukrainian languages.
The subject of our study is the set of varieties of repetitions and their use in literary and scientific texts. Tasks of research are as follows:
1. to define a difference between concepts;
2. to identify the specifics of their use in different styles;
3. to formulate the causes of pleonasm and tautology;
4. to distinguish the ways of their avoidance. It helps to signified repeating a word, it
The anaphora (Gr. Ava^opa - rise) is a rhetorical lexical and
syntactic figure or trope, being the repetition of the same words, constructions at the beginning of adjacent sentences, poetic strophes. It helps to focus on the notion, signified by the repeated word, or strophes, actualizes them. For example: Холодний сон. Холодний сан добра, / Холодний сенс багряного пера (I. Drach);
Комусь — лебедi ввд'ячали, / Комусь — ще сурмлять жу-равлi (B. Oliynik). Anaforychne use call on the predicate, and often predictive own character and transforms it into a functional plane Remy. This pattern anaforychnyh elements is particularly
The anaphoric use gives the word a predicate, and even frequently a predicative character and transfers it into the functional area of rheme. Such character of anaphoric elements becomes especially noticeable in the triple repetition, for example:
Тут бш, тут смерть, тут стопн на стопн...(Ъ. Kostenko) [2, p. 37].
Epiphora (Gr. 'Етфора - transfer, repetition) is a rhetorical lexical and syntactic figure being the repetition of the same words or phrases at the end of adjacent or nondistant parallel text segments to enhance expressiveness, rhythm, melody, for example:
За тобою лечу, / журавлино ячу / За тобою...Тшьки свиить роса, / Як остання сльоза, — / За тобою (B. Oliynik). The final sentence position usually coincides with the group of predicate, according to the established direct word order. Such use gives the words the value of psychological subject. The special semantic loading is acquired by the simultaneous application of anaphora and epiphora:
То що ж ви, хлопщ, що ж ви, що ж ви, хлопщ?! (L. Kostenko); Ти знаеш, що ти людина? Ти знаеш про це, чи ш? Усмшка твоя едина. I мука твоя едина.
I очi тво1 одш (V. Symonenko) [2, p.37].
After analyzing dictionary definitions of the term «pleonasm»,
it is possible to claim that this is manifestation of the law of speech redundancy by which all the manifestations of grammatical and semantic coordination, multiple objections, language synonyms, repetitions, etc. are guided. In S.Ozhegov's dictionary this term is treated as a figure of speech in which words with partly or fully coinciding meanings are unnecessarily repeated, or those where the meaning of a word is already part of another. In «The Big Soviet Encyclopedia» «pleonasm» is defined as the use of words which are superfluous for semantic completeness of the statement, and in some cases for stylistic expressiveness [5, p. 210].
In modern philological science a concept «pleonasm» is not clearly defined. Thus, the literary "pleonasm" (hr.pleonasmus -redundancy) - stylistic figure which is repeated, stirring words of similar, mostly synonyms. In linguistics (style) "pleonasm"
- a doubling of lexical items blyzkoznachnyh
So, in literary criticism «pleonasm» (Gr. pleonasmos -redundancy) is the stylistic figure consisting in repetition, forcing homogeneous words, mainly synonyms. In linguistics (stylistics) «pleonasm» is a doubling of lexical units close in their meaning:
ждати-чекати, тишком-нишком, etc. [3, p. 98].
At the same time tautology (Gr.auto - the same and logos
- word) is a stylistic figure based on the identical root- or synonymic repetition of the previous word:
з давтх-давен, з вжу-правжу, рано-вранщ, etc. [3, p. 98]. Important is the opinion of linguist V. Vinogradov on disagreement of these two concepts. The main difference between the tautology and pleonasm is that in the latter one lexemes are not duplicated, and the essence of previous expression is repeated. It is a figure of speech in which there are excessive words, unmotivated logically, or it includes synonyms, or one meaning of the word is included in the meaning of another [3, р. 98]. The first of them is used an excess of words, the author is actually needed for comprehensive characteristics of concept, whereas the second that is knowingly similar to those of the words or phrases chosen with the aim of eliminating misinterpretation important for the author's ideas. In English, in particular, there are at least two terms to designate verbosity: «wordiness» and «redundancy» offered by Douglas Harper. These concepts are accepted by Justin Berkman who thoroughly explains in the theory and practice features of the specific use of words and structures, avoiding repetition and redundancy. The first of them is used to denote an excess of words, actually necessary for the author to complete characteristics of a particular concept, whereas the second aims to indicate a phrase or construction in which words or phrases close in meaning are consciously chosen for the purpose of preventing misinterpretation of ideas important for the author. Let's explore the role of concepts of pleonasm and tautology in literary, scientific, colloquial styles, the specifics of their application, rules and examples of eliminating the violations of language norms.
According to V.V. Shyprykevych, pleonasm and tautology have both negative and positive connotation. He proves that these facilities can be fine stylistic figures in the literary speech. The most characteristic feature is the use of pleonasm and tautology in folk art:
любилися-кохалися, посжти-порубати, реве-гуде него-
донька, жура-туга, думки-гадки; воленьку вволити, грати-вигравати, мова-розмова [3, р. 99].
Tautologies occur in the Ukrainian national songs rather often:
Вишневий цви
З вишневих вгг
Вишневий виер
Звiваe з вгг. (I.Drach)
Скучив за степом, скучив за лугом,
Скучив за ставом, скучив за гаем,
Скучив за сином, скучив за другом,
Скучив за матар'ю, за рвдним краем! (V. Stus)
Я з юних ли до скону пронесу...
Цю сумш смшиву найяскравших плям,
Цю смерть, увшчану таким живим життям! (М. Rylsky) [3,
р. 99].
After analyzing the novel Clara Reeve's «The Old English Baron», it can be noted that repetitions belong to the writer's peculiar stylistic features, and in the novel there is a significant number of them:
«Oh, father,» said she, «do you think that I — that, I — that I am to blame in this matter?»; «... if I should see the ghost, and if it should be the person of my master, and if it should tell me anything, and bid me keep it secret, I should not dare to disclose it» [6]. Using a simple repetition of contact I that emphasizes the emotional tone of semantic expression. Repeat expression if (I) / it should prove and clarity of thought, expressing the speaker.
The use of simple contact repetition I that emphasizes an emotional and semantic tonality of the utterance. Repetition of expressions if (I)/it should proves consistency and clarity of thought expressed by the speaker.
Thus, in fiction, in folk art the use of such stylistic figures as pleonasm and tautology is justified because they are used to highlight the expressed opinion, to strengthen emotions of regret, melancholy, sadness, request etc. In a communicative situation which requires imagery and expressiveness, pleonasm and tautology are necessary and desired phenomena. Such redundancy is expedient within colloquial, literary, sometimes journalistic styles. In practical language pleonasm and tautology are undesirable phenomena peculiar speech defects. Involuntary, casual pleonasm and tautology - one of the most common mistakes in newspaper language. Such structures should be avoided, because each additional word clogs language znevyraznyuye think sometimes takes place in the pages of which are not so much. Consider a number of false structures of this type.
In a practical language pleonasms and tautologies are the undesirable phenomena, peculiar defects of the speech. Involuntary, casual pleonasms and tautologies belong to the most widespread mistakes in the newspaper speech. Such structures should be avoided as each excess word litters language, sometimes just takes away valuable place on the pages. Let's consider a certain number of false constructions of such type.
«Прекрасний подарунок одержали дгти - наше майбутне, про яке ми тклуемося з увагою i турботою...» [4, р. 16]. «Шклуватися» is «виявляти увагу i турботу»; it is necessary to leave «тклуемося», or to put it «ставимося з увагою i тур-ботою».
«Я особисто велику увагу звернула ввдразу на зразкову роботу верстата, досконало його вивчила» [4, р. 14]. In this example, is possible to manage without the word «осо-бистий», because it actually has no semantic loading. Let's consider another example of the same letter in two versions. The first variant is the typical example of the wrong use of pleonasms, while the second is an example of proper interpretation of the same idea without excess words and phrases.
Example №1 [5, р. 210]:
Dearest, esteemed, important, and beloved colleagues, friends, and comrades, I, Lord Redund, also called Lord Alvin Redund, am writing and penning this missive letter in correspondence to you, my friends, colleagues, and comrades, on March 15, 1734, this fifteenth day of March of the year 1734 to request, inquire, and ask of you, my friends, colleagues, and comrades, if it would be possible, feasible, or conceivable that I might borrow, or obtain on loan from you a small, tiny, insignificant amount of money, coin, or currency with which I might purchase, obtain through sale, or buy additional paper, or parchment, with which I could then write or pen more letters, missives, and messages unto you, my friends, comrades, and colleagues. Thank you. I am grateful, and much obliged. Sincerely, Truly, and Earnestly, Lord Alvin Redund, Lord of House Redund. Example №2 [5, р. 210]:
Dearest, I am writing letter in correspondence to you my friends, to ask of you if it would be possible that I might borrow a small amount of money with which I might purchase additional papers to write more letters to you. Thank you. Sincerely, Lord Alvin Redund.
In the first letter verbosity is explained by author's aim, so to say, to «decorate» his speech, to «enrich» it with some elements that could give typical pomposity to the notice. The repetition of a significant number of lexical and syntactic components leads to exaggeration of content of each of the concepts. The second letter was shortened by removing excess structures and communicative non-essential components. It is an example of conformity of the verbal text capacity to it content and informational saturation.
According to Denysko S.M. lexical and stylistic changes in educational translation from English into Ukrainian (based on student works) are widespread today. For example: «... when he was lodging by himself in the house.» students translated as «.коли вш орендував тимчасове житло...», «.коли вш був сам в житловому будинку...» [1].
The author analyses the speech redundancy, inserting the words unnecessary from the semantic point of view, as actually the result of monotony of students' vocabulary, their inability to choose the method of formulating the idea, appropriate in a certain situation.
Offensive tautology also complicates perception of the text, tiring the reader, indicates a low level of speech culture of. According to the findings of L. A. Kulishenko, she observed, if there taken:
Non-normative tautology also complicates perception of text, tires a reader, indicates a low level of language culture of the person. According to L.A. Kulishenko's conclusions, tautology is observed, if are used in parallel: 1) two foreign words with an identical meaning:
динамiчна (грец.рухома) трансформащя (лат. перетворен-ня); адмШстративний (лат.управлшня) менеджмент (англ. управлшня);
2) the word of foreign origin and the Ukrainian word: серв^не (англ. служити) обслуговування, мiсцевi абориге-ни (лат. коршш мешканщ), народно-демократична (грец. народовладна) парпя, моя автобiографiя (грец. моя бю-графiя), найбшьш оптимальний (лат. найкращий), основ-ний лейтмотив (шм. основна думка), народний фольклор (англ. народна творч^ть).
It is especially annoying when tautology is not recognized as an error. This defect is found in the professional speech of economists:
приватна власшсть, економжа господарства (домашнього, народного), боргове зобов'язання, валютш щнноста, прейскурант щн, депозитний внесок, кредит довiри, комерцш-на торпвля, облж розрахунюв, термш ввдстрочення etc. [3, p. 102].
Fairly common in the language of bankers and politicians is an expression "credibility" (кредит довiри). One bank has been advertising its unlimited credibility, while credit in Latin means "he believes".
Another example of repetition are the expressions "monetary funds" and "loan obligations" (грошовi кошти та позиковi зобов'язання). Money is always means of paying, and loan always produces obligations. So talking about monetary funds and loan is inappropriate [3, p. 103].
Kulishenko L.A. suggests to avoid numerous examples of excessiveness widely used in a business language. It is correct to say обслуговування, авангард, прейскурант, автобюгра-фiя, but not серв^не обслуговування, передовий авангард, прейскурант щн, моя автобiографiя accordingly [3, p. 106]. Typical pleonasms in English are nape of the neck, false pretense, frozen tundra, gnashing of teeth, head honcho, bleary-eyed, veer off course, safe haven, ford a river. Among the main reasons for the existence of the phenomenon of pleonasm we should highlight the following [5, p. 211]:
1) the desire to arrange any opinion more significant by highlighting it in the long and grandiose sentences. (For example: «She made the statement that she was approaching» in contrast to «She said she was approaching»);
2) the inability to choose the appropriate word or construction in order to avoid a number of unnecessary words and phrases (For example: «if» in contrast to «on condition that», «then» in contrast to «at the point in time»);
3) the use of excessive amounts of passive structures which contain more words than their active equivalents (For example: «The students selected «The strategies of eliminating wordiness» as the theme for the next lecture" in contrast to ««The strategies of eliminating wordiness» was selected as the theme for the next lecture»).
There are certain rules and strategies, the use of which will lead to more productive and correct expression of a thought in the sentence, in particular such as [5, p. 211]:
1) to avoid the subordinate clause beginning with «who», «that», «which» etc. (For example: «The most efficient and accurate system» in contrast to «The system which is more efficient and accurate»);
2) to avoid excessive amounts of «it is», «there is», «there are» at
the beginning of the sentence (For example: «We must agree» in contrast to «It is important that we agree»);
3) to avoid infinitive phrases (For example: «A clerk checks and records all incoming mail» in contrast to «The duty of a clerk is to check all incoming mail to record it»);
4) to avoid words that explain the obvious (For example: «We intend to comply with the tax return regulations you have stated» in contrast to «It goes without saying that we are acquainted with your policy of filling tax returns, and we have every intention of complying with the regulations which you have stated»).
To reduce the number of errors it is recommended to follow these tips [5, p. 211]:
1) make a plan of a creative work before writing it or consider your oral answer carefully;
2) do not try to express in one sentence the whole idea of the paragraph;
3) re-read in a while your paper. If you notice that the words or phrases are repeated, cross out the excessive ones.
To avoid verbosity, it is necessary first of all to pay special attention to availability of unambiguous, semantically close or synonymous words in the text that indicate the author's linguistic negligence, misunderstanding, indicate the misunderstanding of precise meanings of the words. : The article examines the phenomenon pleonazmu and tautology that often pereobtyazhuyut text, create redundancy violate its sonority and expressive emotional perception both in English and in Ukrainian. Therefore, they should be avoided in speech. However tautology writers often used in the literature as a stylistic device gain meaning one word of his word creative option. it is enriched with additional nuances - semantic and expressive. Repetition in poetry - a stylistic device that can create new tools and shapes, because it can cover all linguistic units
Conclusions: this article describes phenomena of pleonasm and tautology that often overload text, create redundancy, violate it euphony, expressive and emotional perception both in English and in Ukrainian languages. Therefore, they should be avoided
in speech. However writers often used tautology in fiction as a stylistic device strengthening the meaning of the word by its derivational variant. This returns the original imagery o the phrases, a language is enriched with additional nuances — both semantic and expressive. Repetition in poetry is a stylistic device that can create new tools and figures, because it can embrace all levels of linguistic units - sounds, morphemes, word forms, phrases, sentences, verses.
We think, the study of the topic of pleonasm and tautology can be extended, in particular considering it from the point of view of phonology, phonetics, vocabulary, for example, a tautology on the phonological,level, rhythmic and rhymed repetition and etc.
List of the used literature
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