SD Based on Usage of the Category

SD Based on Usage of the Category of Case

It is common knowledge that in Modern English the category of possessiveness does exist. It is realized through analytical forms N₁ of N₂ or N₁’s N_2. Apostrophe s is a polysemantic form, it can be used to denote genitive possessiveness (John’s toy), subjective genitive (John’s death), objective genitive (John’s robbery). In this case “ John’s robbery ” can have two meanings: 1). John was the object of robbery – John was robbed. 2). John was the doer of the action - John robbed somebody. Apostrophe s can be also used to denote temporal genitive (a week’s absence, last week’s congress).

We should mention that according to its function the formula N₁’s N₂ enters paradigmatic relations with its semantic equivalents – N₁ of N₂ and NN:

e.g. Child’s psychology, the psychology of a child, child psychology;

mother’s love, love of a mother, mother love.

Components of the paradigms of the kind are not absolutely identical. Sometimes the difference between N₁’s N₂ and NN is so unessential that their semantic differentiation can slightly be understood:

e.g. the book’s cover = the book cover;

a three hours’ work = a three hour work.

But lexical realization of these structures can cause differentiation of their meanings:

e.g. a) the Negro’s problem = the problem the Negro faces;

the Negro problem = the problem the Negros produce for others.

b) the mother’s cat = the cat belongs to the mother;

the mother cat = the cat itself is the mother.

Thus, the sphere of usage of ‘s and its combinability is constantly widening in Modern English. That’s why the stylistic value of the opposition of forms N₁ of N₂ and N₁’s N₂ is not very great. In some cases the usage of the form N₁ of N₂ has more official character than the formula N₁’s N₂:

e.g. Charter of the United Nations – United Nation’s Charter;

The president of Cuba – Cuba’s president.

The form N₁’s N can acquire additional stylistic meaning in case of personification:

e.g. England’s military greatness.

Foggartism had a definite solution of England’s troubles to work toward –

an independent, balanced Empire…

(J. Galsworthy)

of Definiteness / Indefiniteness.

Stylistic potential of nouns can be significantly reinforced by transpositions in the usage of articles as noun-determiners. Transpositions of articles occur against generally accepted normative postulates which run: articles are not used with names of persons and animals, some classes of geographical names, abstract nouns and names of material.

Thus, there is a semantic correlation between an article and a noun. This correlation influences the meaning of a noun and it also specifies its additional semantic connotations. Stylistic role of a noun may change, depending on the form of an article.

Nouns with indefinite, definite articles and with zero article are widely used for stylistic purposes. Stylistic effect (or additional meaning) can be achieved in 2 ways: 1) by violation of normal combinability of morphemes in a word structure; 2) by violation of normal combinability of noun-forms in the given context (by transposition).

I) Uncommon usage of articles brings specific shades of meaning into speech. Thus, the indefinite article combined with names of persons may denote:

a) one representative of a family:

e. g. Mary will newer be a Forsyte.

b) a person unknown to the communicants:

e. g. Jack was robbed by a Smith;

When the door of the pub had closed behind him the woman said: “I know a

Tommy Flynn ” (S. Barstow).

c) a temporary feature of the character:

e. g. That day Jane was different. It was a silly Jane.

d) Not less expressive are cases when the name of a person is used as a common noun preceded by the indefinite article:

e. g. Mike has the makings of a Byron.

Stylistic usage of the definite article takes place:

a) when names of persons are modified by limiting attributes:

e. g. You are not the John whom I married.

b) when a proper name denotes the whole family:

e. g. The Browns are good people;

c) when a name of a person is modified by a descriptive attribute denoting a permanent feature of character:

e. g. I entered the room. There she was – the clever Polly.

Suchlike deviations in the usage of articles are possible with other semantic classes of nouns: geographical names, abstract and material nouns.

Nouns which denote unique objects – the earth, the sun, the sky – are usually used with the definite article, but sometimes they can be used with the indefinite article, or even with the zero article, and as a result they acquire the meaning “one of many possible objects”:

e. g. A moon was up (A. Sillitoe)

A gleamof sun had come, sharpening of his hurring senses all the beauty of

the afternoon. (G. Galsworthy)

When the indefinite article is used with material nouns or with abstract nouns, it is with the aim of achieving greater visuality:

e. g. You are a marvelous colour (H. Bates). (about the colour of suntan).

It’s anart. I take it gently. (H. Bates).

Take her away from his hateful country and go somewhere to start a new life.

(D. Parker).

… there was a more than ordinary groomed look, an alert, inquisitive

assurance, a brilliant respectability. (G. Galsworthy).

II) Another way of achieving stylistic effect with the help of article usage is based on stylistic transposition. Stylistic transposition here is usage of articles (or nouns with articles) in uncommon contexts. The main idea of the stylistic usage of nouns with the definite article is in the fact that objects and phenomena that are being described in a text, can be presented by the narrator as already well known objects to the reader. In this way greater concreteness of description is usually achieved. Let’s compare:

e. g. There lived a mistress who would have dwelt daintily on a desert island, amaster whose daintiness was, as it were, an investment, cultivated by the owner for his advancement, in accordance with the laws of competition. (G. Galsworthy).

At the lake shore there was another rowboat drawn up. The two Indians stood waiting. In the fall the war was always there, but we did not go to it any more. (E. Hemingway).

G. Galsworthy’s manner of narration is traditional. When he describes new objects and phenomena, he uses the indefinite article with the nouns. But E. Hemingway introduces new objects with the definite article from the very start, from the first sentence of narration. He presents these new objects as already well known to readers.

II SD Based on Usage of Adjectives.

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