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Stylistic Use of Phraseology
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Фразеологическая единица – лексически неделимое, устойчивое в своем составе и структуре, целостное по значению словосочетание, воспроизводимое в виде готовой речевой единицы (бить баклуши, диву даваться, железная дорога, из рук вон, остаться с носом, очертя голову, положа руку на сердце, попасть впросак, собаку съесть, вылететь в трубу, зарыть талант в землю, играть в прятки, точка замерзания, тянуть лямку, уйти в свою скорлупу, воздушный замок, закадычный друг, заклятый враг, кромешный ад, одержать победу, тоска берет, щекотливое положение).
Various kinds of phraseological units, sayings and proverbs, as well as allusions to historical or literary sources may be employed as stylistic devices for the purpose of clarity of thought and making it more vivid. All the blocks larger as one are phraseological units. The main feature of a phraseologism: the meaning of the phraseological unit isn’t equal to the sum of its components’ meanings but a result of their interaction. It’s also characterized by stability and ready-made character. Phraseology is an important means of intensifying the meaning. Phraseologisms include set expressions, proverbs, sayings and familiar quotations (epigrams). Phraseology is usually emotional, emphatic and imaginative. It’s rhythmical, alliterated, sometimes rhymed. It includes synonyms, antonyms, similes, repetitions.
e. g. as good as gold, as snug (укромный) as a bug in a rug.
The stylistic function of phraseology is manifold. Besides intensifying the meaning they may be used for speech characterization, for titles and epigraphs. Especially important in this respect are familiar quotations used as titles. There was a tendency in the 20th century to use quotations and allusions for titles. The use of phraseologisms for titles helps to disclose the idea, the message, gives the key to understanding the whole novel. Intertextuality is connected with it. All the texts are created under the influence of other texts. When creating some new novel the author has a kind of discussion with previous writers. This gives a new depth to the novel.
Cliché
A cliché is generally defined as an expression that has become trite. Cliché is a derogatory term and it is therefore necessary to avoid anything that may be called by that name. But the fact is that most of the widely recognized word-combinations which have been adopted by the language are unjustly classified as cliché s. The aversion for cliché s has gone so far that most of the lexical units based on simile are branded as cliché s. Debates of this kind proceed from a grossly mistaken notion that the term 'cliché ' is used to denote all stable word-combinations, whereas it was coined, to denote word-combinations which have long lost their novelty and become trite, but which are used as if they were fresh and original and so have become irritating to people who are sensitive to the language they hear and read. What is familiar should not be given a derogatory label. On the contrary, if it has become familiar, that means it has won general recognition and by iteration has been accepted as a unit of the language.
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Proverb
A proverb is a brief, witty phrase of generalizing nature characterized by the completeness of the thought and generally expressing the wisdom of the people.
e. g. He laughs best who laughs last.
Proverb is characterized by brevity of expression. A proverb is a short, familiar, epigrammatic saying expressing popular wisdom or truth, or moral lesson in a concise imaginative way: Make hay while the sun shines. East or West – home is best. Every cloud has a silver lining. Proverbs are characterized by the completeness of the thought, they are regarded as folk maxims (афоризмы, сентенции).
Saying
Saying differs from a proverb. A saying is a common phrase differing from a proverb in that the thought is not completely expressed: Tit for tat (око за око, зуб за зуб). By hook or by crook (правдами и неправдами). To beat about the bush (ходить вокруг да около). To kill two birds with one stone.
Proverbs and sayings are mostly used by writers in the direct speech of characters to individualize their speech, and also as laconic, expressive and emotional ready-made phrases, they are often used both in the speech of characters and the author’s narrative to clarify and conform the thought.
Epigram
Epigram differs from a proverb, though it resembles it. Epigram is always created by men of letters: Sweet is revenge, especially to women (Byron).
Mighty is he, who conquers himself (W. S. Maugham).
Art is triumphant when it can use convention as an instrument of its purpose (W. S. Maugham).
Epigram expresses a thought in a short, clever and amusing way. Epigram is always used in speech, whereas proverb is used as a ready-made speech unit for the expression of one’s idea.
Epigrams are brief witty phrases resembling proverbs but created by men of letters. They are rhythmically arranged, sometimes rhymed and alliterated. Their aim is to convey some generalized idea in a laconic and expressive form.
Allusion
Allusion is an indirect reference, by word or phrase, to a historical, literary, mythological, biblical fact or to a fact of everyday life made in the course of speaking or writing: It’s no use pretending that we are Romeo and Juliet.
The use of allusion presupposes knowledge of the fact, thing or person alluded to on the part of the reader or listener. As a rule no indication of the source is given. This is one of the notable differences between quotation and allusion. Another difference is of a structural nature: a quotation must repeat the exact wording of the original even though the meaning may be modified by the new context; an allusion is only a mention of a word or phrase which may be regarded as the key-word of the utterance. An allusion has certain important semantic peculiarities, in that the meaning of the word (the allusion) should be regarded as a form for the new meaning. Allusions are based on the accumulated experience and the knowledge of the writer who presupposes a similar experience and knowledge in the reader. Allusions and quotations may be termed nonce-set-expressions because they are used only for the occasion. Allusions are used in different styles, but their function is everywhere the same. The deciphering of an allusion, however, is not always easy.
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I. R. Galperin: Allusions are based on the accumulated experience and knowledge of the writer who presupposes a similar experience and knowledge in the reader.
The stylistic effect of an allusion can be achieved only if the facts and personages alluded to are well known to the reader.
Quotation
Quotation is a repetition of a phrase or statement from a book, speech and the like used by way of authority, illustration, proof or as a basis for further speculation on the matter in question: To be or not to be, that is the question! (Shakespeare)
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. (Shakespeare)
To know that nothing could be known (Socrates).
Quotation differs from epigram and mainly allusion because quotation may be long or short, while the allusion is always short. A quotation must be repeated word for word, while allusion is never repeated, and it is only one or two words.
What is quoted must be worth quoting, since a quotation will inevitably acquire some degree of generalization. If repeated frequently, it may be recognized as an epigram, if, of course, it has at least some of the linguistic properties of the latter. A quotation is the exact reproduction of an actual utterance made by a certain author. The work containing the utterance quoted must have been published or at least spoken in public; for quotations are echoes of somebody else's words. Quotations are used as a stylistic device, as is seen from these examples, with the aim of expanding the meaning of the sentence quoted and setting two meanings one against the other, thus modifying the original meaning. In this quality they are used mostly in the belles-lettres style. Quotations used in other styles of speech allow no modifications of meaning, unless actual distortion of form and meaning is the aim of the quoter.
Paradox
Paradox – is a statement which though it appears to be self-contradictory, nevertheless involves truth or, at least, an element of truth: Loving hate, heavy lightness (Shakespeare). Wine costs money, blood costs nothing.
A specific feature in the use of phraseology is the deliberate changing splitting, decomposing of it for different stylistic aims.
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