Emotional Potential of Non-Emotive Vocabulary in the Modern English Literary Text

Abstract

The study is devoted to the features of lexicalization of the basic emotion «fear» in an English literary text in order to determine the emotive potential of non-emotive vocabulary representing this emotion. The use of cognitive approaches to the study of the language, the internal structure in the naming of
 emotions, the ways of their objectification and lexicalization reflect the relevance of the study. The analysis of the semantic structure of the emotion «fear» in the Russian and English languages as well as the linguistic representation of the
 basic emotion «fear» in the texts of modern British authors made it possible to determine the features of the lexicalization of the emotion «fear» in a modern
 literary English text and to study the emotivity degree of non-emotive lexical means that are used to lexicalize the specified basic emotion. The results obtained are as follows: the emotion «fear» is lexicalized with the help of emotive vocabulary that contain the seme «fear», «escape», «retreat»,
 «cry». Non-emotive vocabulary is systematized by thematic groups: achromatic colours and physiological reactions of a person. Non-emotive, neutral vocabulary which is used to describe the non-verbal manifestations of the «fear» emotion creates an emotional colouring of the description. The emotional potential of the corresponding lexemes varies under the influence of certain situations in such a way that neutral lexical units begin to express emotiveness. Non-emotive vocab-
 ulary is used by authors to reflect the emotional experience of the speaker, to describe the non-verbal manifestations of emotion, to create tension and emotional intensity of the narrative. The results of the study can be used in research work related to the study of the vocabulary of the modern English language.