Cohesion potential of the German professional marketing language

Svitlana Vovchanska

Вовчанская Светлана. Когезионный потенциал немецкого профессионального языка маркетинга.

Ключевые слова: когезионный потенциал, профессиональный язык, средство, термин, маркетинг, терминологическая система.

Cohesion - is connectivity of elements of the text, first of all sentences, paragraphs. It envelops formally grammatical aspects of communication of expressions, that is appears formally grammatical manifestation of connectivity. It is characterized first of all by varied language means by means of which inter-element coupling of the text is carried out: grammatical, lexical, logical, stylistic and the associative behind which allocate appropriate means of cohesion [9, c. 86].

Therefore, coherence - is global, integral connectivity of the text, and cohesion - locally structural. Coherence is reached, as a rule, by means of cohesion.

We will consider 4 genres of texts (article of popular newspapers, materials of popular magazines, texts of professional magazines, scientific texts of educational literature) under a cohesive corner on the basis of classification of types of cohesion [2, c. 7]. We will make linguistic test and describe each category which is presented by 4 most known editions, considering means of cohesion which connect sentences in the analyzed texts.

Making this experiment, we put forward a hypothesis, that the frequency of the use of certain means of cohesion will change somehow according to the text genre. In the category «grammatical cohesion» we studied use of such means as personal reference (GC1), demonstrative reference (GC2), nominal ellipse (GC3), verbal ellipse (GC4), substitution (GC5), parcelling (GC6). The category «lexical cohesion» is presented by such means as anaphoric transfer (LC1), distant transfer (LC2), contact transfer (LC3), leitmotiv transfer (LC4), synonyms (LC5), antonyms (LC6), hiper-hyponyms (LC7). In the category “logical cohesion” there are such means as space cohesion (LOG1), temporal cohesion (LOG2), metonymy (LOG3). The category “stylistic cohesion” is presented by parallelism (SC1), metaphor (SC2), comparison (SC3), polysyndeton (SC4) and personification (SC5). The marker of C0 designates absence of cohesion in the analyzed texts.

Synonyms (3,7 %) in a scientific genre are a little presented. It is connected with that the synonymy as stylistic means isn't characteristic for language of science. In scientific texts synonyms are used as means of contextual specification. For a scientific genre, as we know, is typical exactness, absence of emotionality, aspiration to univocacy. Publicistic (8,8 %) and professional (8,2 %) genres are most presented by synonymic groups as synonyms in publicistic style are used for a statement variety, for monotony avoidance.

Hyper-hyponymic relations (3,3 %) take also important place among lexical means of cohesion as terms as specially created units must express not only a concept essence, but also transfer connections between them. From here exists a hyponymic paradigm as one of the important categories which form terminological structures. The highest percent (18,9 %) is in publicistic genre, the lowest (10,1 %) - in professional genre.

Repetitions belong to lexical means of cohesion too. The analysis of the last researches of repetitions testifies to too structural accent in studying of features of their application at a broadcasting [5, c. 2]. Besides, in the majority of researches repetition is considered in connection with the text and its categories, and functioning of repetitions in different types of a discourse is practically not investigated. Contact repetition is most widespread as the semantic component of the statement which contains contact repetition, gets character of the basic, and emotional - of the background. However by quantitative calculations contact repetition is least presented among all types of repetition: the contact - 0,1 %, anaphoric - 0,4 %, distant - 1,1 %, leytmotiv - 1,4 %. Priority of leytmotiv repetition is in its main function - frequency of repetition of keywords. Contact repetition is most presented in a scientific genre - 1,1 %, absent - in publicistic and professional. It is connected with that frequency and character of use of contact repetition depend on a number of factors: presence / lack of an author's assessment (analysis), pragmatic orientation and a modality of the text. High frequency of contact repetition in a scientific genre is caused by their functions, namely (according to N. M. Razinkina): the attainment of pragmatic effect, the subjektive-estimated relation to the phenomenon and its description, comparison and specification of the facts, their opposition, enumeration, creation of a definite figurativeness [3, c. 135-155].

The logical cohesion is most presented by a metonymy (6,3 %). The lowest general frequency of the use of a metonymy - in texts of a scientific genre (10,5 %). The reason - figurativeness isn't typical for a scientific genre and can be here only as a subsidiary means. It is explained with specifics of the scientific sphere which has special marks of language of science, - objectivity, generality, abstractness and logicality. The highest frequency - in a popular genre (34,2 %).

The temporal logical cohesion (1,8 %) found broader application than spacy (0,4 %). It is connected with specifics of the sphere of marketing which purpose is guarantee of profitability advance of economic unit (the separate enterprise) at the expense of the best satisfaction of the consumer in a concrete period.

The stylistic cohesion (5,9 %) is not often presented in different genres, as logical (8,5 %). Among its means polysyndeton (1,6 %) and parallelism (1,4 %) dominate, less - personification (1,3 %), comparison (0,7 %) and metaphors (0,9 %). Having carried out the comparative analysis of genres we have fixed: polysyndeton is most presented in a scientific genre (15,7 %), the general frequency of the use in a popular genre makes 3,8 %, less - in publicistic (2,8 %). The reason is polysyndeton is used as means which slows down a broadcasting, serves for allocation of significant words in scientific style too. By means of a poli- sindeton purposefulness and unity of the denumerability are emphasized. This means allows to design the image of a variety in one picture. Between parts of the sentence it establishes the relation of analogy and not analogy.

Parallelism prevails in a professional genre (6,1 %), seldom - in scientific (4,5 %) though the modern scientific prose traditionally uses this stylistic instrument to formalize syntactically specification of these or those facts, cases. Syntactic symmetry is useful for specification as the author expresses in a language form equivalence of the content of separate parts of the statement. Accurate partitioning of syntactic parallel constructions, their structural clearness promotes their use not only for the purpose of specification, but also for comparison and correction,. The comparison issued in the form of syntactic parallel constructions, we find in descriptions of results of experiment, in descriptions of action of this or that preparation, by the characteristic of different methods of research which proves domination of this means of cohesion in a professional genre.

The metaphor and personification completely absent in a scientific genre and most often are in popular (8,6 %; 9,4 %), but seldom - in a professional genre (3,5 %; 5,6 %). It is caused by the features of a popular genre is dynamism, concreteness, figurativeness, subjectively objective character of a statement, that defines its lexicological-phraseological and morfological-syntactic originality.

Comparison - one of the main ways of knowledge of the world, it traditionally i s considered as the simplest language means of figurativeness. The highest frequency of its use in a publicistic genre (5,8 %) is caused by its characteristic features, namely: comparison not only promotes creation of more lively image of the character, emphasizes this or that thought, etc., but also first of all is the main means of disclosure of essence of the phenomenon, means of representation of the relation of the author of work to it. The lowest index - in professional (1 %) and scientific (1 %) genres though by means of this stylistic means possibility of promoting of the difficult phenomena of modern reality is based. By means of comparisons scientific terminology is explained.

Therefore, the quantitative analysis certifies that in texts of different genres means of grammatical cohesion (39,2 %) prevail, the lexical cohesion makes 10,6 %, logical - 8,5 %, and stylistic - 5,9 %. Absence of cohesion makes 35,7 % in all genres.

The made linguistic experiment on material of four categories of the text ce rtifies that the frequency of the use of definite means of cohesion (substitution, ellipse, contact and distant transfers, polysyndeton, parallelism, hiper-hyponymy) not always depends on a broadcasting genre. Its quantitative indices are not the same in different genres of composition of the text.

The considered means of cohesion give the possibility to draw next conclusions: they function not equally in these genres. But functioning in this or that genre of language has different tasks. As we saw from the reviewed examples, in professional and scientific genres definite means of cohesion can be used directly, without specified purpose of the speaker. Domination of substitution is characteristic for these genres, because by this means the syntactic compression is reached. At the same time the saturation of texts is traced by nominal ellipses which are used mainly in dialogues which are an exception for these genres of a broadcasting. Prevalence of antonyms also is norm for these genres as in the literary language not all words have opposition signs in the intensional of the meanings, and respectively can't have antonyms, unlike the scientific sphere. In publicistic style ellipses are used with a specific purpose: (on newspaper columns - in interview with famous people where dialogues are the information transfer tool). Typical for professional and scientific genres is defined severe style. It is caused, first of all, by need to avoid ambiguities of these or those scientific concepts. The small quantity of synonyms in a scientific genre, and a little big in professional is explained by it. The lowest general frequency of the use of a metonymy is the reason of that fact, that figurativeness isn't typical for scientific style and can act here only as a subsidiary means. It is explained with specifics of the scientific and professional sphere. Definiteness of scientific and proffesional language provides lack of a discrepancy between the denotatum and its definition. Therefore in scientific and professional texts, as a rule, absent similar, expressional means; words are used mainly in the ordinary sense.

Near the characteristic phenomena in professional and scientific genres are traced also such which would have to be present in texts. It is about a hiper-hyponymy. Terms as specially created nominative units must not only express a concept essence, but also transfer connections between them. From here is existence of a hyponymic paradigm as one of the major categories which form terminological structures. But in our case, number of such uses is the smallest in a professional genre (10,1 %) and per contra dominates in publicistic (18,9 %) which isn't to it adapted.

Identical is situation with means of lexical cohesion - repetitions (distant, contact) which dominate in professional and scientific genres though are more characteristic for publicistic. The scientific genre tries to diversify supply of scientific material and to dewiate from strict style of a broadcasting by which it is characterized, and to adopt marks of other genres and as it is possible to track - rather successfully, because repetitions can also be used in professional and scientific texts with purpose once again to emphasize the key moments.

Stylistic means polysyndeton is also not typical for professional and scientific genres, opposite - for publicistic and popular. But polysyndeton is used as means which slows down a broadcasting, serves for allocation of significant words and in scientific style.

Parallelism is also not criterion of professional and scientific genres, in particular, popular and publicistic. It is caused by that the modern scientific prose traditionally uses this stylistic tool syntactic to issue transfer of these or those facts, cases.

Professional and language of science adopted stylistic tools of popular and publicistic genres which are an unusual phenomenon for the first as contradict their primary language criteria.

The publicistic genre also broke limits of influence of various genres. The use of stylistic means isn't found in it though it is characterized by existence of an expression, figurativeness.

Hyper-hyponymic relations in a publicistic genre is an unusual phenomenon, but, proceeding from results, real. Again we see the marking of characteristic features of professional and scientific genres on publicistic and vice versa. Such exchange is promoted, apparently, by language progress, its continuous development and perfection, experimentation of language, with its means, and an exit for the outlined limits.

The popular genre is less paradoxical in comparison with professional, scientific and publicistic. Typical for it is preference of metaphors, metonymies, space cohesion.

Having counted the frequency of the use of all types of cohesion, we found definite tendencies (see table 1).

Table 1 Use frequency of means of cohesion in texts of marketing (%)