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Nesova N.M. ©
Department of Foreign Languages The Faculty of Philology Peoples' Friendship University of Russia
STYLISTIC QUALIFICATION OF WORDS IN ENGLISH
Summary
The article is devoted to stylistic qualification of English lexis, represented through the system of stylistic labels in English explanatory dictionaries. Bookish and colloquial styles are well-defined, although sphere of passage as well as their interpenetrability is not excluded. Both archaisms and regionalisms are referred to stylistic labels.
Keywords: dictionary codes, stylistic labels, colloquial style, bookish styles, neutral words, archaisms, regionalisms, connotation.
All lexicon of English can be presented in the form of synthesis of its three main components: literary style, neutral words and colloquial lexicon.
The structure of category of book (literary) and colloquial lexicon "includes some lexical groups, being characterized certain stylistic qualifications. The general property according to which all components of lexicon are combined in this category, is called as specific qualification" [1]. So, the structure of book lexicon has the literary specific characteristic. Exactly thanks to this feature, the structure of dictionary fund differs relative constancy. The structure of colloquial lexicon differs "live", constantly changing character. The category of neutral lexicon possesses universal properties. It is explained by limitlessness in the use in various areas of lexicon, and also in all spheres of human activity. These features define this category as the constant from above-mentioned components of lexicon.
The category of book lexicon consists of the lexical components which are traditional components of the English dictionary and not possessing local, dialect properties.
The lexical group of colloquial style qualified by the majority of English and American dictionaries, has no strictly - limited belonging to a certain language group and its territorial characteristic.
The following elements are a part of book lexicon: 1.general (traditional) literary words; 2. terms; 3. poetic words; 4. archaisms; 5. foreign words and loans; 6. neologisms and occasional words.
The colloquial lexicon is divided into the corresponding classes of words: 1. general colloquial lexicon; 2. slang; 3. slang; 4. professional words; 5. dialects; 6. vulgarisms; 7. colloquial neologisms.
The general book lexicon, neutral words and the general colloquial lexicon are united in one concept - the fixed dictionary assets. Separate subgroups of words as a part of book lexicon belong to special literary words; also some words as a part of colloquial lexicon are considered as special (nonliterary) words.
Neutral words are a basic component of the fixed dictionary assets of English and are used in book and colloquial lexicon. Stylistic features of neutral words in English are explained by the structure of language system. So, "the majority of neutral words are terse designs that is explained by English development (from former to modern option) when the majority of parts of speech lost the distinctive affixes. It led to conversion development - the most productive way of word formation. Unlike the book and colloquial lexicon having a certain stylistic coloring, the category of neutral lexicon as a whole is deprived of the special stylistic characteristic" [3].
©© Nesova N.M., 2014 r.
Words of book lexicon are used in a written and oral form of the speech. However it is possible to be always literary version of colloquial loss for words. Opposition of similar synonymous groups as a part of literary and colloquial lexicon, for example is the reason of this communication:
Colloquial Neutral Literary
kid child infant
daddy father parent
chap fellow associate
get out go away retire
go on continue proceed
get going start commence
It is obvious that these synonyms have certain semantic and stylistic distinctive signs. Stylistic features are expressed by emotional coloring of the word, the sphere of its use, and also the available qualitative characteristic. In comparison with book lexicon, words of colloquial style have more expressed emotional coloring. Neutral lexicon are denied any emotional characteristic the right to speak, also as there are no distinctions and in the sphere of their use.
Book and colloquial lexicon are characterized by existence of two levels: top and bottom. The bottom level of book lexicon is approached to neutral layer of words and tends penetrations into it. The same can be told and about the top level of colloquial lexicon: it is very mobile, and can get into a neutral layer also. Thus, borders between layer of the general colloquial lexicon and layer of neutral words, and also between book lexicon and the fixed dictionary assets, are indistinct. There is obvious a process of interpenetration of stylistic layers of lexicon which is reflected in the variable relations between categories. So, the lexicon of neutral layer can be considered as option of standard English lexicon. The dictionary composition of neutral layer is abstract, deprived of concrete associations and communications.
The colloquial lexicon gets into structure of standard lexicon, being considered as its part, and borders on the special (nonliterary) colloquial lexicon which is dropping out of category of standard lexicon. Like words of the general book lexicon, the word and expression of the general colloquial category uniformity of values are also deprived. Some lexemes of this category are close with words from so-called substandard groups: slang, vulgarisms, being on border between category of the general colloquial lexicon lowered and offensive colloquial language. Separate words, getting from layer of an offensive language into group of standard lexicon, are neutralized in values and treat the general colloquial lexicon, for example: teenager, hippie (hippy); take (in'as I take it' = as I understand); to go for (to be attracted by).
One of components of special book lexicon is terminology or words terms. The main characteristic of the term is its direct belonging to system of the terms used in the certain sphere (science, culture, etc.). Possessing the functional scientific and style characteristic, terms not only express a certain relation to this concept (that is the most widespread), but also can transfer and two values - terminological and stylistic, emphasizing the corresponding orientation of this word. Such words as: sort, creative, species; to pass an existence expression in a certain pseudo-biological and medical aspect can reflect both stylistic features of the corresponding concepts, and a combination of stylistic and terminological values.
In language development, with emergence and universal distribution of the information technologies, some terms, having lost the main characteristics, were a part of the general book and neutral lexicon, for example: concepts - "portfolio, diving, to credit" [5], etc. more don't possess special terminological properties. Other components of this group of lexicon are poetic words and words with an appreciation. Mainly, it is obsolete words, or archaisms and the highly artistic lexicon giving speeches a shade of a height. Separating from category of the general book lexicon, poetic words form insignificant layer of lexicon, being, thus, peculiar poetic terms. The tradition of use of archaic poetic words and forms got the greatest distribution during a classicism and romanticism era. Shakespeare's work, Byron's are striking examples of poetic traditions to whom the set of these
forms, for example is presented: "steed or charger instead of the word horse; welkin - sky; vale -valley; to proceed - to go; to clipian - to call, to name; to quoth - to speak" [4].
The dictionary structure of any language is subject to continuous changes under the influence of a temporary factor. Separate words, changing the values, drop out of the general dictionary fund; others - replace its former options. This process finds the reflection in the following making element of special book lexicon: archaisms, obsolete and going out of use.
This layer of lexicon is crossed with a layer of poetic words; and together they go beyond category of special book lexicon. It testifies that "some words, being archaisms, aren't a part of modern English lexicon, for example: broth = bruth; losel = lazy fellow; to emplume = to adorn with feathers.
There is no also clear boundary and between groups obsolete and going out of use actually they get each other. Their main difference is explained by stylistic expressiveness of the word.
Stylistic functions of archaic words are based on temporary perception of the described events. Being used in any terminological aspect, this category of words expresses the remote communication with the specified phenomena, thereby returning the reader during last eras.
The other component in category of special book lexicon is loans and foreign words. Loans represent category of the words having a foreign origin and borrowed from another languages. For all history of development of English of loan created considerable group of words in literary option of English. The majority of loans, having strongly been the main part of lexicon, more aren't considered as foreign words, for example: hors d'oeuvres (noun), to outmanoeuvre (verb).
The main difference of loans from foreign words is that the last, keeping the "corresponding" signs, aren't a dictionary part of English. Their use is explained by stylistic expressiveness of the speech, for example: au revoir - not good-bye; at infinitum - not to infinity. Foreign words, like archaisms, go beyond special book lexicon.
In English explanatory dictionaries "stylistic dung is called as stylistic labels. Behind the word labels there is such contents which characterizes outer side of the word, its essence. The following types are presented in dictionaries as dung which reflects stylistic differentiation of lexicon:
1) the dung designating regions, so-called regional dung;
2) the dung explaining an origin (etymology) of words;
3) the dung indicating certain area of the use of words;
4) the dung characterizing situations or separate types of use of words;
5) the dung indicating chronological stratification of lexicon;
6) the dung transferring emotional and expressional coloring;
7) the dung indicating other restrictions in the use" [2].
Stylistic dung in explanatory dictionaries of English is distributed between literary and colloquial norm. Actually stylistic attribution of the word - a lexeme is constructed taking into account a historical factor, i.e. stylistically marked there are archaisms, territorially - dialect occurrences, and speech, relating to the native speaker, - nonce words.
In more detail stylistically characterized there are the colloquial lexemes determined by usage. However, unlike Russian, the case stylistic the dung differs on filling and practically excludes an emotional and expressional component which is presented to rumpled Connotative labels.
The stylistics in English doesn't distinguish language and speech aspect, and relies on distinctions of norm and usage, thus the norm is presented by the literary language, and usage -colloquial practice. Therefore, a dictionary stylistic dung doesn't form some substantial complete complex, and appears as symmetric reflections of norm and usage, at a norm priority. Such approach, naturally, pours out in research of a stylistic synonimy, the izosemichnykh of means of language and the speech.
Literature
1. Galperin I.R. Stilistika of English. — M.: 1977 . — Page 72.
2. Nesova N.M. Grammar notes and stylistic lables in Russian and English explanatory dictionaries Avtoref. theses. ... candidat. philol. sciences. - M, 2007. - Page 15.
3. Nesova N.M. Grammar notes and stylistic lables in Russian and English explanatory dictionaries. Dissertation candidat. philol. sciences. - M, 2006. - Page 94.
4. Crystal D. The Cambridge encyclopedia of Language. - 2-nd edition. - Cambridge, etc.: Cambridge University Press, 1997.
5. Macmillan English Dictionary for advanced learners, second edition 2007.
