Author-Specific Modifications of Biblical Phraseological Units in Modern Journalism (Based on Russian Examples)

Abstract

A strong tendency towards the active usage of modified phraseological units is currently noted in modern newspaper language. In search of higher expressiveness and a certain stylistic effect (irony, language play, negative appraisal etc.) journalists often alter the traditional structure and semantics of phraseological units, identifying and expanding their subtle deep meanings and combining lexical elements of different styles in one context. Non-usual usage of phraseological units is a means of achieving a deeper expression and an effective tool for creating a stronger impact on a reader. The article looks at cases of deliberate creative transformation of phraseological units of New Testament origin, observed in modern Russian newspapers. Based on the analysis of the actual material (articles from Russian national newspapers from January 2003 to May 2006), a detailed classification and an analysis of various types of phraseological units modifications are drawn and two large groups are identified - structural semantic and semantic modifications. The first group includes modifications in lexico-grammatical structure of a phraseological unit without a significant change in semantics (expansion, reduction, element substitution etc.). The second group covers modifications that do not change the structure of a phraseological unit, but do change its meaning (double actualisation, demetaphorisation, expansion of word valence etc.). Every type of modification is illustrated by examples from current publications on the Russian Internet.