Features of semantic transference in phraseological nomination (on the base of modern English phraseology)

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FEATURES OF SEMANTIC TRANSFERENCE IN PHRASEOLOGICAL NOMINATION (ON THE BASE OF MODERN ENGLISH PHRASEOLOGY)

Markova P.A., Kluzheva N.V., Fedulenkova T.N.

No doubt, the complex meaning transference which accompanies the secondary/ phraseological nomination appears in the same way as the simple one, i.e. during the transformation of the literary meaning of the prototype. But in the case of the complex meaning transference there is always a complicating factor, e.g., nonmotivation of the meaning of the phraseological unit (PU) or associations with extra linguistic factors serving as a preliminary link in the process of meaning transference.

After A.V. Kunin, we maintain that non-motivation of the phraseological meaning is the absence of synchronic derivational connection between the transferred PU meaning and the literary meanings of the PU components [1: 147]. Nonmotivation results in a change of features denoted by the phraseologism: the features which are characteristic of the PU prototype disappear and new ones (those characteristic of the PU) appear. Non-motivation of the meaning doesn't obstruct the communication, as it is supported by the tradition of PU communicative application.

As an example of a non-motivated phraseological unit the PU send smb to

Coventry - бойкотировать кого-л. can surely serve. The existing in Modern phraseological nomination phraseologism unit

English variable word combination send smb to Coventry meaning послать кого-л. В Ковентри doesn't tell anything about the meaning of the corresponding PU, as it is its homonym. However, the etymology of the PU is traced back. In his book “History of the Rebellion” (1647) Clarendon points out that during the Civil War in England Coventry was a citadel of the parliamentarianism and there were many royalists imprisoned in Coventry. The PU send smb to Coventry firstly was connected with the definite situation, rather essential for its time. When this situation disappeared the word combination underwent the meaning transference, and gradually the connection between the PU meaning and the literary meaning of its components was destroyed. Peculiarity of this type of semantic transference consists in the definite role of extra linguistic factors. This type of meaning transference is named a circumstantially caused one [1: 148].

Besides, the metonymical meaning transference is also possible, e.g.: Joe Miller - 1) a book of jokes; 2) a hackneyed anecdote (according to the name of the actor J. Miller (1684-1738) who published the first collection of jokes in England).

Precisely, the metonymical meaning transference is a transfer of nomination from one denotatum to another associated with it according to the adjacency. Besides there are PUs with a double, metaphor-metonymical, meaning transference [2: 148].

Well, the complex meaning transference of non-motivated PUs is not an object for the direct observation: it can be established with the help of diachronic etymological analysis [4: 41]. When the PU etymology is unknown it is impossible to find out the character of the meaning transference, e.g.: pay through the nose; talk through one's hat, etc.

In fact, a number of phraseological units that exist in Modern English originated from an authorial phrase having a literary meaning. An example of such a PU is the phrase the last of the Mohicans (according to the title of the novel by F. Couper). Between the title of the novel and the PU the last of the Mohicans there is an intermediate link, i.e. the text of the novel itself.

Or, the biblical phrase kill the fatted calf is used in the parable about a prodigal son in the literary meaning. Later this phrase, as a result of metaphorical transference, acquired the new meaning treat one's guests in the best way. The Bible is that intermediate link which creates the complex meaning transference (for other instances see [3]). For the majority of authorial phrases the use in the single context and designation of the single object is typical. Only abandoning the limits of a single context can create a language unit with corresponding phraseological abstraction [5: 42].

Actually the PU transferred meaning is often inherited from an individual authorial phrase which is a creation of a secondary nomination, connected with the definite context. Such meaning transference in a PU can be named reduplicated, e.g.: Shakespeare's the green-eyed monster - jealousy (“Othello”). Analogous PU, unlike the authorial phrase, has a wider usage as a result of its peculiar phraseological stability unrestricted with the limits of a single context.

It has been observed that within the frames of the secondary phraseological nomination the reduplicated meaning transference can combine with the volume enlargement of the notion as a result of the combinability expansion. Thus the variable combination by inches is used by W. Shakespeare in the figurative meaning little by little, e.g.: Messenger: …They'll give him death by inches (“Coriolanus”). In this example the idiom by inches is used in combination with the verb give and relates to the word death.

In Modern English the combinability of this PU is extended and the volume of the expressed notion is enlarged, e.g.: (a) But that he had seen her come to this by inches, he never could have believed her to be the same (Ch. Dickens). (b) I saw myself dying by inches (Th. Dreiser).

We believe that during the secondary occasional nomination semantic transformations are always non-imagery, because a usual or occasional tertiary nomination appears as a result of a figurative meaning transference. When nonimagery semantic transformations take place, the arch-seme is not forced out by the occasional seme, no meaning transference, but only its specification, intensification, changing of stylistic colour is observed. It is achieved by the usage of the system of stylistic devices, such as intrusion, double actualization, replacement of the components, etc. Here there are some instances of occasional PU usage (cited after A.V. Kunin):

(a) Specification of meaning

Fine words butter no parsnips ~ соловья баснями не кормят:

Having been myself at various times both poor and ill, I am aware that fine words butter no literary parsnips (U. Sinclair).

(b) Intensification of meaning

Give smb the glad eye - бросить на кого-л. многообещающий взгляд:

Charles: …Didn't you see her giving me enormous glad eyes? Wanted me to come round and see her when it was quieter (J.B. Priestley).

It is evident that hyperbolizing character is intensified by unusual use of the word eye in the plural.

As to the intrusion of the words bloody, confounded, goddam, etc. it not only intensifies the PU meaning, but also changes its stylistic colouring, making the utterance more rude, e.g.:

Not on your life - ни за что, ни коим образом, ни в коем случае:

Grace's face darkened and a harsh note came into her lowered voice… `Not on your bloody life' (D. Cusack and F. James).

(c) Weakening of meaning

The weakening of meaning of the PU is attained by means of intrusion of words and word combinations in its structure such as almost, a bit of, a little, a trifle and etc.

Talk shop - говорить на узкопрофессиональные темы:

…the Air Force and army boys couldn't help talking a bit of shop (J.B. Priestley).

One can see that the intrusion of the word rather into the structure of the PU has a character of conscious reduction, that is rather clear to whom it is addressed, and it colours the utterance emotionally. The originality of such occasional transformation is in the appearance of the litotes, when the meaning of the PU is weakened externally, but in fact its intensification is underlined due to this weakening, e.g.:

Come a cropper - потерпеть неудачу; попасть в беду:

Freeman: If I came rather a cropper that's no reason why you should come one too (W.S. Maugham).

Play havoc with smth - разрушить что-л.:

`My predecessor,' said the parson, `played rather havoc with the house' (J. Galsworthy).

So, the analysis in the chosen field of phraseological semantics brings us to the conclusion that the complex shift of meaning that takes place during the process of the secondary/ phraseological nomination often makes the motivation of the resulting phraseological unit less transparent, and to see the actual meaning of the phraseological unit one should appeal to its genetic prototype, i.e. to its initial variable combination of words.

Список литературы

1. Кунин А.В. Курс фразеологии современного английского языка: Учеб. для ин-тов и фак. иностр. яз. 2-е изд., перераб. М.: Высшая школа, Дубна: Изд. центр «Феникс», 1996.

2. Федуленкова Т.Н. Проблема общего и специфического в соматической фразеологии некоторых германских языков (на материале английского, немецкого и шведского языков): Дис. … канд. филол. наук. М., 1984.

3. Хостай И.С. Системно-функциональные характеристики фразеологических единиц библейского происхождения в английском языке: Автореф. дис.... канд. филол. наук. М., 1997.

4. Fedulenkova T. Diachronic Approach to the Study of Communicative Phraseological Units // Northern Development and Sustainable Livelihoods: Towards a Critical Circumpolar Agenda. Aberdeen: University of Aberdeen, 6^th CUCC, 1999. P. 41-42.

5. Fedulenkova T. Phraseological Abstraction // Cross-Linguistic and CrossCultural Approaches to Phraseology: ESSE-9, Aarhus, 22-26 April 2008 / T. Fedulenkova (ed.). Arkhangelsk; Aarhus, 2009. P. 42-54.

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