ANALYSIS OF SEMANTIC-STYLISTIC COMPOSITION OF SPEECH VERBS IN ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN (based on novel by E. Bronte “Wuthering heighs” and translations by N. Vol’pin and U. Saptsina)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of semantic variability of speech verbs as well as their functioning in the novel by Emily Bronte “Wuthering Heights”. The article presents lexical- semantic classifications of speech verbs and ways of explicating the additional connotations in their meaning by adding dependent words and descriptive structures. In the course of study the key relevance is given to the valency theory due to differences in combinability of Russian and English. The study reveals major problems that occur during translation of verb lexis into Russian сonsidering the differences in linguistic worldviews. During the first stage of research the frequency of verbs occurrence was analyzed. Verb frequency count showed that the majority of the representatives can be identified as characterizing acoustic and physiological speech aspects of the utterer. The initial meaning of this group is not related to speech and gains the speech seme in context due to the process of metaphorization. The mentioned lexical layer appears to be stylistically marked and carries expressive connotations. Some speech verb occurrences were not fixed in the dictionaries and identified as author’s individual usage. Stylisticly neutral verbs are surrounded by verbal extensions actualizing the evaluative function of characters’ speech. These compounds are also included into the semantic field of speech verbs. During the second stage the comparative analysis of two translation versions given by N. Vol’pin and U. Saptsina was performed. It revealed the occurrence of dissonance in stylistics and semantic volume of a word in some cases. As a result of the study, speech verb occurrences were classified according to differential semes found in their meaning. The findings demonstrated the significant role of the given lexical-semantic group for depicting figurative and conceptual creativity of the novel.