“Neutrality vs Expressiveness” as a Style Feature of the English-language Short Story

Abstract

Contemporary linguistics is characterized by the growing scientific interest in the study of human factor in the language. Particularly relevant is studying the communicative process which goal is to make a pragmatic impact on the recipient. In this respect of primary importance is the in-depth analysis of expressive means, as they have a pragmatic potential. It is essential, however, to understand that expressive vocabulary cannot operate separately from other units in the communication. It interacts with the context in which there is stylistically neutral vocabulary. Our research is dedicated to the study of the interrelationship between neutral and expressive vocabulary within the English-language short story. As a result of the analysis, it was discovered that the basic vocabulary of the English-language short story mainly includes neutral words, on the background of which expressive words are used. This creates the opposition “neutrality – expressiveness” that is a style feature of the English-language short story. The presence of a certain contrast promotes increase in the general expressiveness of the fictional text as well as realization of the pragmatic function. It was identified that stylistically neutral words are primarily used in the author’s speech whereas expressive words are commonly used in the reported speech. Hence, the neutral style serves as the background for lexical units belonging to the high or low style. The analysis revealed that, except for neutral words, words of different functional styles operate in the English-language short story. Among them, there are terms, poetisms, archaisms, barbarisms, slangisms, jargonisms, dialectisms, vulgarisms and others. The author of the fictional text intentionally chooses units of certain lexical layers to influence the reader, in particular their thoughts, behavior, emotional state etc. Therefore, the opposition “neutrality – expressiveness” fosters implementation of the author’s intention, characterization of the characters and reaching a high degree of the pragmatic effect.