LINKING MARKEMES IN BRITISH PROSE OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. PART 2

Abstract

Statement of the problem. Markeme links found between prosaic texts of British writers who belong to the first half of the 20th century (Interval 20-1) make it possible to establish the degree of generality of those writers’ markeme lexicon. Markeme links exist between the texts of all writers, but depending on the power of those links, we distinguish preferred markeme links, or the links of the 1st order, and the links of 2nd, 3rd… 15th orders. The number of orders corresponds to the number of links each author can form with other authors whose texts are studied. The task of the present research is to find preferred markeme links between the authors of Interval 20-1 (to be exact – between the texts of these authors) and to provide their contensive study. Results. We analyzed and stratified linking markemes found in the texts of British authors of the first half of the 20th century. It is established that responsibility, which is the dominant markeme of the two ICs-0 (IC – intermediate centre), is the dominant markeme in CA-1 Conan Doyle-Christie (CA – centre of attraction). Its vice-dominant markeme is understanding. Responsibility (the dominant markeme of IC-0Wlf) is also the dominant markeme of CA-2 Woolf-Galsworthy. Its vice-dominant markeme is consciousness, which is the vice-dominant markeme of IC-0Wlf. Conclusion. In Interval 20-1 the authors form two centres of attraction: ‘detective and adventure’ (CA-1 Conan Doyle-Christie) and ‘social and psychological’ (CA-2 Woolf-Galsworthy). Besides, there are four intermediate centres of zero order (IC-0CDl, IC-0Chr, IC-0Wlf, IC-0Gls) and three intermediate centers of the first order (IC-1Haggard, IC-1 Maugham, IC-1 Orwell). Markeme power of each centre of attraction depends on the number of authors who form direct or indirect markeme links with its key figures and their markemes integral linking weight value. The study shows that CA-2 Woolf-Galsworthy unites 9 writers whereas CA-1 Conan Doyle-Christie unites only 7 writes, therefore its markeme power (15.87) is 1.3 times as high as CA-1 Conan Doyle-Christie markeme power (11.85). The stratification of linking markemes results in determining markemes, which constitute the markeme core and periphery in each centre of attraction and the markeme specificity of the the centres of attraction themselves. Fifteen markemes such as concentration, consciousness, consideration, determination,difficult(y/ies), disappointment, embarrassment, imagination, intelligence, opportunity, responsibility, satisfaction, self-preservation, significance, understanding, provide links between CA-1 and CA-2.