Phraseological units in the sphere of business communication

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Mukachevo State University

Phraseological units in the sphere of business communication

The article deals with the formation of the culture of business communication. The role of business communication in the life of society has been determined. The state of research of the problem of business communication within phraseological semantics has been analyzed. A systematic analysis of the semantic structure of phraseological units as part of the phraseological semantic field of business speech has been elaborated. The classification of phraseologisms in the field of business communication has been suggested. Phraseological units in business English communication comprise a vast part. This makes it possible to suggest a classification of these PhUs according to thematic principle. Phraseologisms of the semantic field of business communication are of special linguists' interest because business and relations among people in this sphere is the main source of income in particular and human existence in general. The conducted research of the phrase-semantic field of business communication has allowed us to establish the semantic potential of the PhUs, forming this field. A person's understanding of the sphere of business and business relations within this sphere is manifested in the lexical and phraseological structure. Having classified the PhUs into semantic groups it should be noted that the most numerous semantic groups are those denoting «person», «work /job», «business meeting», «profit», «loss», «success», «sale», «product», «price», «difficult situation», «financial support».

Key words: phraseosemantic field, phraseological units, lexico-semantic field, lexical units, semantic group, national and cultural originality, verbal comprehension of the world.

Аннотация

В статье рассматривается процесс формирования культуры бизнес коммуникации. Определена роль бизнес коммуникации в жизни общества. Проанализировано состояние исследования проблемы бизнес коммуникации в пределах фразеологической семантики. Проведен системный анализ семантической структуры фразеологических единиц как части фразеосемантичного поля бизнес речи. Предложена классификация фразеологизмов в сфере бизнес коммуникации.

Ключевые слова: фразеосемантическое поле, фразеологические единицы, лексико-семантическое поле, лексические единицы, семантическая группа, национально-культурное своеобразие, вербальное осмысление мира.

Анотація

У статті розглядається процес формування культури бізнес комунікації. Визначено роль бізнес комунікації у житті суспільства. Проаналізовано стан дослідження проблеми бізнес комунікації в межах фразеологічної семантики. Проведено системний аналіз семантичної структури фразеологічних одиниць як частини фразеосемантичного поля бізнес мовлення. Запропоновано класифікацію фразеологізмів у сфері бізнес комунікації.

Ключові слова: фразеосемантичне поле, фразеологічні одиниці, лексико-семантичне поле, лексичні одниці, семантична група, національно-культурна своєрідність, вербальне осмислення світу.

Formulation of the problem. The formation of the culture of business communication, which is gradually gaining great importance, is an important stage for the development of society and the state as a whole. Without deep knowledge of the conduct of business relations in the field of business, evolutionary development of mankind does not occur, because communication covers all spheres of human activity and without its knowledge to realize and find its place in the world for a modern person is quite difficult. Business communication does not only help to understand what is heard, but also establish new contacts and solve urgent issues. Person's understanding of the sphere of business and business relations manifests itself in the lexical and phraseological composition of the field of business broadcasting, the scope of research of which is constantly increasing, because the broadcasting, especially in this area, is constantly changing. Nowadays, all the prior acquisitions of competent scholars in the field of linguistics and business broadcasting of the English language will help to deeper analyze its development [1, p. 9].

Analysis of recent research and publications. Having studied the language for quite a long time, linguists concluded that speech units could not exist in isolation. They are interconnected with the relations of affinity and opposition. These lexical- semantic relations are subject to the system and form an integral complex - lexico-semantic field, the study of which began in the early twentieth century.

Problems of the systematic organization of the lexical composition and semantics became the object of research in the works of the native and foreign linguists such as O. Potebnya, V. Vashchenko, L. Lysychenko, V. Rusanivskyy, J. Trier, V. Portsig, L. Weisgerber, V. Gak, etc. [2, p. 153].

The aim of the article is a systematic analysis of the semantic structure of phraseological units (PhU) that are a part of the phrase- semantic field of business speech. To achieve the aim we must accomplish the following tasks:

1) to define the role of business communication in the life of society;

2) to analyze the state of research of business communication in the framework of phraseological semantics;

3) to suggest a possible classification of PhUs in the sphere of business communication.

Results of investigation. Speaking about the specific semantics of PhU we should mention that this feature is also typical for each meaningful word. This is both a common and a different feature of a word and PhU. The comparative study of words and phraseological units has been suggested by V. Zhukov, who has defined three basic types of phraseological meanings; the scientist proved his words on a huge factual material and has shown that peculiarities of lexical meanings in words and phraseological meanings in PhU are dependent by the nature of these language units.

In the structural scope the meaning of the phraseologism is expressed not by one word, but by obligatory combination of not less than two components. Constituent parts of words (morphemes) are not independent language units, whereas the components of phraseologisms are words-prototypes, that can function outside the PhU. Lexical meanings of a word and phraseologism are not identical, though may have much in common. The phenomena of synonymy and antonymy is characteristic for both words and phraseologisms.

In modern linguistics the study of PhU in semantic, grammatical and structural aspects develops actively. Such poly-sided approach to the study of phraseology is becoming more and more popular.

Phraseologisms in business English communication comprise a vast part. This makes it possible to suggest a classification of these PhUs according to thematic principle. PhUs of the semantic field of business communication are of special linguists' interest because business and relations among people in this sphere is the main source of income in particular and human existence in general. Consequently, business is a general cultural concept that underlies both the material and spiritual life of a society. Therefore, such a phenomenon could not but be reflected in phraseology.

Scientists have proved the fact that the comprehension by the person of the world manifests itself at all levels of language, namely: on the lexical level, phonetic, morphological, syntactic. In our opinion, the verbalization of the human perception of the world in phraseology is especially bright, since here, moreover, than in the vocabulary, the national picture of the world, in our case, of the English language, is reflected.

The conducted research of the phrase-semantic field of business communication has allowed us to establish the semantic potential of the PhUs, forming this field. The problem of communication and material and spiritual culture of the people attracted the attention of researchers a long time. In their works, they emphasize the social nature of the language, which carries extra-language information. The most distinct national-cultural peculiarity manifests itself in the phraseological level, since the PhU consists of several components and in their semantic structure, much more than in the word, involve extra-linguistic factors reflecting the national-cultural specificity of the people.

Verbal comprehension of the world according to the intensity of the detection of a particular parameter is inherent in the lexical system. However, according to scientists, phraseological units reproduce, in contrast to lexical, not a picture of the world, but their fragments, especially relevant to native speakers, because phraseology with its meanings permeate a variety of conceptual fields. Consequently, we came to the conclusion that the peculiarity of the phraseological verbalization of the world is that units of this level denote information which may not be expressed by the units of the lexical level [2]. After all, phraseology is a symbolic world in which various objects, phenomena and processes get symbolic denotation. The phraseological representation of the world differs from the lexical by its archaic and mythological nature.

A person's understanding of the sphere of business and business relations within this sphere is manifested in the lexical and phraseological structure. Today, not only in the English language, but also in other world cultures a common prototype of a successful businessman, that is, a person of practical, experienced, strategic character, who has nothing to do with superstitious beliefs. Though it appeared that business all over the world, as some other activities is more susceptible to superstition when the case relates to luck and happiness. Indeed, in business, these facts are of great importance.

According to D. Pickering's dictionary, in our study the information about human perceptions and comprehension of the business sphere has been collected. By paying much attention to the ubiquitous charms and taboos that are observed all over the world, businessmen use several united in their kind superstitions. This includes caution to sign contracts or to start business trips on Friday or on the thirteenth day of the month. In addition, such superstitious beliefs also include the happy clothes that were worn by the person at his or her greatest moments of glory. With regard to time, new affairs should begin in coincidence with the new moon. In the United States, rental agreements are signed on an odd number of years, and the beginning of a new business is welcomed with a horseshoe decorated with flowers [8].

Nowadays, phraseology is such a promising and developed area of linguistics that almost every investigator has the opportunity to offer his or her own contribution to the typology of the classification of PhUs. According to the well-known linguist P. Leroy, in modern linguistics, despite rather large achievements of research in the field of phraseology of English, there is currently no clear classification of phraseological units used in business communication [7].

In our research we will try to develop our own classification of phraseological units used in business communivcation. 200 units of this semantic field have been involved into the study; this allowed us to distinguish the following semantic groups of phraseologisms: «person», «work / job», «business meeting», «profit», «loss», «success», «purchase» «sale», «product», «price», «bankruptcy / closure of business», «savings», «difficult situation», «loan», «financial support», «fraud», «bribing», «starting a business», «closing a business». The most numerous and worth mentioning in the article are the following semantic groups of phraseologisms:

Semantic group «person»

Phraseologisms belonging to this group characterize leadership qualities of a person in business sphere:

• movers and shakers- naming people who take active part in solving problems, initiating new projects;

• sleeping/silent partner- a partner, who having inveted in some business wants to keep his name secret;

• top dog - leader, manager;

• big cheese - an important person;

• company man - a worker fanaticaly affiliated to his job;

• cog in the machine - a worker, who is not important in the process of work;

• yes-man - a sneak person, crawler.

Semantic group «work/job»

To this group belong PhUs denote hard work(by the sweat of your brow, work your fingers to the bone, break your back, back to the salt mines, get your hands dirty, use elbow grease), a person, engaged in many projects (to wear many hats, to have a finger in every pie, irons in the fire), time spent on some work (to wear many hats, to have a finger in every pie, irons in the fire) [3].

Semantic group «business meating»

Phraseologisms from this group denote the semantics of the main topic of discussion, type of meating, etc. (bottom line, to hold a meeting, to call a meeting to order, follow-up meeting, strictly business, to call on someone to speak).

Semantic group «profit»

Here the following units are worth mentioning:

• win-win- is used to denote the situation in business when both sides win;

• make hay while the sun shines- to make profit from any situation;

• finger in the pie- to have one's share in some business;

• bang for the buck- to get profit.

Semantic group «loss»

In our investigation we have defined numerous PhUs with the semantics of financial loss:

• down the drain - when we speak of the time, money and effort which were usless;

• to take a nosedive - collapse in price and value;

• bottom out - the lowest level of development;

• in the red - to lose all the money [4].

Semantic group «success»

Within this group we may speak about phraseologisms denoting successful beginning (up and running, a foot in the door), profitable business (going concern, roaring trade, blockbuster, in the black, deliver the goods).

Semantic group «sale»

This group unites phraseologisms with vast semantics:

• cash in your chips, sell out--to be on sale;

• sell like hotcakes, jump off the shelves -- successful sale;

• on the market, on the block, in stock - available on sale;

• out of stock - not available on sale;

• take public - sale of shares of a company to a general audience of buyers.

Semantic group «product»

Phraseologisms belonging to this group combine units denoting various spheres connected with business; among themto roll out a product, to carve out a niche (for a product) -- to launch the product on the market,- to generate lots of buzz -- to make people react positively to a product or service, thereby encouraging potential buyers to buy it; to put a product on the map, to plug a product, to launch a product -- to acquaint potential buyers with the products; cash cow - a product or a service that generates big profits for the company, without requiring large investments; to test market a product - scientific study of how successful the product will be on the market. Such a technique often includes the choice of a group of people who use the product for a specified period of time, and then give their comments on the product [5].

Semantic group «price»

To this semantic group belong units with the meaning of low or high price, e.g.:

• to come in high, to jack up - to be of too high price;

• to knock down the price of something, to slash prices - to drastically reduce prices;

• bottom fall out/drop out - lowering the level below the previous price;

• face value - par value.

Semantic group «difficult situation»

Here worth mentioning are PhUs with the semantic significance of the cruelty and pain of the situation that arose. This group includes dog-eat-dog world in terms of the cruel and aggressive world in which everyone survives as it can. This phraseologism arose in the 1500's when it was seen as dogs aggressively fought for a log. Such association in human consciousness has been verbalized in speech in the form of this phraseologism [6].

One more phraseologism that belongs to this group is the phrase to bite the bullet, which means to make a complicated and painful decision, a step in life.» This expression originated from a military affair, since during the Civil War in the United States, doctors did not always have a whiskey alcohol drink in order to be analgesic. Therefore, a very painful process was often used when, instead of an anesthetized wounded soldier, a bullet was put into the mouth so that he could bite it and not distract the doctor from work with his cry. The awareness of such a painful process was verbalized in the phrase to bite the bullet.

PhU to keep one`s head above water means to try to survive without falling into debt; phraseologism tight spothas semantics of a difficult situation in business or economy without any development.

To denote the state of being in debt such phraseologisms as saddled with debt, to have red ink are used.

Semantic group «financial support»

This group is quite different in semantics:

to put money where your mouth is - financial support of the activity that will bring profits in the future;

to throw money at something - spending a large amount of money in order to solve a problem;

golden handcuffs - a large amount of money or a generous financial deal given to an employee as an incentive to stay at his workplace or to guarantee long-term cooperation after his departure from their responsibilities;

golden handshake - the generous amount of money that an institution allocates to its employee when he leaves his job;

golden parachute - an article in which it states that an employee will receive a fairly large benefit in case of termination of his employment contract without valid reasons [5].

Conclusions and perspectives of further research

Hence, during our investigation we have proved the fact that the phenomenon of synonymy is widespread not only among lexical, but also among phraseological units. Anthony in English phraseology is less developed than synonymy, but it exists and has certain patterns.

On the basis of the analysis of PhUs, a conclusion is made about the socially desirable and undesirable elements of business relations. The insecurity and fear of the instability of economic and social relations existing up to now in English-speaking countries could not but be reflected in the phraseological fund of business communication.

It is impossible to reduce the communicative function of business speech only to transmiting information, because it means to ignore a number of other functions, including expressive one. Competition in business and in the market makes us use the thought-out speech strategies directly in everyday communication, as well as in relation to a precisely defined customer, the client. Business communication serves as an effective means of persuading business people to work properly, selling ideas and goods, and imposing their ideas and strategies on business partners.

Business communication is not only a means of transmitting information, but also a means of implementation social relations; it forms the subjects, moreover, it is the power and means of influencing human consciousness. Having classified the PhUs into semantic groups it should be noted that the most numerous semantic groups are those denoting«person», «work / job», «business meeting», «profit», «loss», «success», «sale», «product» , «price», «difficult situation», «financial support». The phraseologisms within these groups prove the completeness of the investigated semantics of business communication and the variety of spheres they are used in.

Reference

1. Arakin V. D. Angliiskaia frazeologiia i ustoichivye nefrazeologicheskie slovosochetaniia: Sbornik trudov [Tekst] / Pod red. V. D. Arakin i dr. - M.: Nauka, 1978. - 231 s.

2. Larin B. O. Frazeolohiia ta leksykohrafiia [Tekst] / B. O. Larin. - K. : Naukova dumka, 1989. - 307 s.

3. Cowie A. P. Oxford dictionary of current idiomatic English / A.P. Cowie, and R. Mackin. Vol.2. Phrase, clause and sentence idioms. - Oxford: Oxford university press, 1986. - LXIII, 685p.

4. Oxford Dictionary of Business: New Edition. Oxford University Press, New York. - 2007.

5. Alekhina A. А. Semantic Groups in English Phraseology [Electronic resource] / A. А. Alekhina. - Access mode : http://openlibrary.org/works

6. Baranov A. Idioms from a cognitive perspective [Electronic resource] / A. Baranov. - Access mode : http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article

7. Leroyer P. Linguistik online. Dealing with phraseology in business dictionaries: focus on dictionary functions [Electronic resource] / Leroyer P. - Access mode : http://www.linguistik- online.de/27_06/leroyer.html

8. Pickering D. Dictionary of Superstitions [Electronic resource] / D. Pickering. - Access mode: http://www.linguistik online.de/27 _06/leroyer.html

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