Использование топонимов в оценочно-характеризующей функции в англоязычном и русскоязычном художественном дискурсе

Abstract

The aim of the study is to identify the features of using toponyms in the implementation of the eva¬luative-characterizing function in the English-language and Russian-language fictional discourse. The scientific novelty of the work lies in conducting a comparative analysis of the toponyms functioning in fictional discourse on the basis of the Russian and English languages. Here for the first time, the general pragmatic goals of using toponyms in fictional discourse in the implementation of the evaluative-characterizing function have been identified: to convey a character’s psychological state, to express evocatively the attitude towards the subject or object of evaluation, to express an opinion in a playful or ironic form. As a result of the study, it has been found that in both the discourses, toponyms are most often used to express the socio-cultural aspect of evaluation, as well as to describe a character psychologically and characterize the physical para¬meters of the described subjects and objects. Some differences that represent the culturological opposition “own - alien” have been revealed when analysing the use of toponyms of a native country and a foreign one in the Russian-language and English-language discourse. In the Russian-language fictional discourse, such opposition has been observed not only in relation to other countries, but also within the country when comparing Moscow and the provinces.