It is a word or word-combination which is used to replace an un­pleasantly sounding word or word-combination

This variety of metonymy is the replacement of a direct name of a thing or phenomenon by the description of some quality of this thing or phenomenon.

Synecdoche

• In the expression 'All hands on deck!', the term 'hands' stands for 'mariners'.

• The term 'hand' has been chosen to represent the whole expression 'able-bodied seaman' [or in PC (politically correct) terms 'sea-person'] because that is the most important feature required for work on deck.

• In the expression 'United won the match', the term 'United' (in the case of Manchester United Football Club) might not appear to be the most important or essential item to represent the whole.

• However, Manchester has two football teams — the other being Manches­ter City Football Club. A supporter of MUFC would therefore be selecting the one important linguistic feature which distinguished his team from the other football club.

• The parts of the name 'Manchester' and 'Football Club' would be im­plied by the speaker, and understood by the listener.

PERIPHRASIS

Assigned features. Periphrasis intensifies a certain feature of the object described. It stands close to metonymy because it is one more way to rename objects.

Classification. There are such types of periphrasis as logical and figurative. Logical periphrasis is based upon one of the inherent properties of the object:

weapons = instruments of destruction;

love = the most pardonable of human weaknesses;

Kиїв = місто каштанів;

будинок = затишок від вітру та опадів;

буде погода, як не потече з неба вода. (дощ)

Figurative periphrasis is based upon metaphor or metonymy:

to marry = to tie the knot (metaphor); enthusiast = young blood (metonymy);

money = root of evil (metaphor).

Communicative functions. Besides rendering stylistic information, periph­rasis performs a cognitive function: it deepens our knowledge of the ob­jective world.

More examples:

cotton = white gold = біле золomo;

furs = soft gold = м’яке золomo;

lawyer = a gentleman of the long robe = людина у мантії;

women = the better (fair) sex = кpaщa (npeкpacнa) cmamь;

medical men = people in white gowns = люди у білux xaлamax;

ordinary person = a man in the street = людина з вулиці;

wife = my better half = моя краща половина;

policeman = guardian of public order = oxopoнець правопорядку;

oil = black gold = чорне золomo;

“Жигулик”, мабуть аж тепер відчувши свої рани, заводиться не захотів, і Скляр потрюхикав до ринкової площі способом Адама і Єви, тобто пішки.

EUPHEMISM

Assigned features. Euphemism might be viewed as periphrasis: they have the same mechanism of formation. Strictly speaking, euphemisms are not stylistic devices but expressive means of language: most of them are registered in dictionaries.

Classification. Euphemisms may be classified according to the spheres of their application and grouped the following way:

1. Religious euphemisms: devil = the dickens, the deuce, old Nick; God = Lord, Almighty, Heaven, goodness. Чopm = лукавий, нечистий, нечиста сила, нечистий дух, злий дух, лихий дух, дух тьми, лихий, чорний, чорна сила; той, що не проти ночі згадувати; Бог = Всевишній, всесильний, творець.

2. Moral euphemisms: to die = to be gone, to expire, to be no more, depart, to decease, to go west, to join the majority, to pass away; dead = deceased, departed, late; a whore = a woman of a certain type; to obscenity = a four-letter word. Померти = упокоїтися, спочити, відійти (у кращий/потойбічний світ), преставитися, піти до праотців; мертвий = покійний, неживий, бездихáнний; брехати = говорити неправду, вигадувати, видумувати, фантазувати, заговорюватися; красти = забирати лишки, брати те, що погано лежить; старий = людина похилого віку.

3. Medical euphemisms: lunatic asylum = mental hospital, mad-house; idiots = mentally abnormal, low, medium and high-grade mental defectives; cripple = invalid; insane = person of unsound mind. Божевільня = будинок для душевно хворих, жовтий дім; дурень = розумово відсталий, не всі вдома.

4. Political euphemisms: starvation = undernourishment; revolt, revolution = tension; poor people = less fortunate elements; absence of wages and salaries = delay in payment; profit = savings. Cmpaйк = демонстрація npomecmy; жебрак = npoxaч; вигнаmu = вказати на двері, попросити, спровадити, вирядити.

Communicative function. Euphemisms make speech more polite, cul­tured, delicate, acceptable in a certain situation.

Дата добавления: 2014-01-11