Stylistic Differentiation of the English Vocabulary

Stylistic Differentiation of the English Vocabulary 

    The word-stock of any language may be presented as a system, the elements of which are interconnected, interrelated and yet independent. Then the word-stock of the English language may be divided into three main layers (strata): the literary layer (stratum), the neutral layer, and the colloquial layer. The literary and the colloquial layers contain a number of subgroups. Each subgroup has a property it shares with all the subgroups within the layer. This common property which unites the different groups within the layer is called its aspect.

    The aspect of the literary layer is its bookish character, which makes the layer more or less stable.

    The aspect of the colloquial layer is its lively spoken character, which makes it unstable, fleeting.

    The aspect of the neutral layer is its universal character. It can be employed in all styles of language and in all spheres of human activity. This makes the layer the most stable of all.

    The classification given by I.R.Galperin reflects to a great extent the mobility of the lexical system so characteristic of the English language at its present stage of development.

    The vocabulary has been divided here into two basic groups: standard and non-standard vocabulary. The diagram on p.2 demonstrates the aforementioned layers and their subgroups.

    The literary vocabulary consists of the following groups of words:

1. common literary;
2. terms and learned [′ lə:nid] words;
3. poetic words;
4. archaic words;
5. barbarisms and foreign words;
6. literary coinages and nonce-words.

    The colloquial vocabulary includes the following groups of words:

1. common colloquial words;
2. slang;
3. jargonisms;
4. professionalisms;
5. dialectal words;
6. vulgar words;
7. colloquial coinages.

    The common literary, neutral and common colloquial words are grouped under the term Standard English Vocabulary.

    Other groups in the literary and colloquial layers are called special literary (bookish) vocabulary and special (non-standard) colloquial vocabulary. 

    Neutral words 

    Neutral words form the bulk of the English Vocabulary and are used in both literary and colloquial language. Neutral words are the main source of synonymy and polysemy. Unlike all other groups, neutral words don’t have a special stylistic colouring and are devoid of emotional meaning. 

    Common standard literary words 

    Common standard literary words are chiefly used in writing and in polished speech. They are used in formal communication. Literary words are mainly observed in the written form. One can always tell a literary word from a colloquial word, because literary words are used to satisfy communicative demands of official, scientific, poetic messages, while colloquial words are employed in non-official everyday communication.

 
 

    Literary words stand in opposition to colloquial words forming pairs of synonyms which are based on contrasting relations.

Colloquial                         Neutral                   Literary   

       kid                               child                            infant

    daddy                            father                           parent

    get out                           go away                        retire

     go on                           continue                        proceed

    Common standard colloquial words 

    Common colloquial words are always more emotionally coloured than literary ones. They are used in informal communication.

    Both literary and colloquial words have their upper and lower ranges. The lower range of literary words approaches the neutral layer and has a tendency to pass into that layer. The upper range of the colloquial layer can easily pass into the neutral layer too. The lines of demarcation between common colloquial and neutral and common literary and neutral are blurred. Here we may see the process of interpenetration of the stylistic layers. The stylistic function of the different layers of the English Vocabulary depends in many respects on their interaction when they are opposed to one another. It is interesting to note that anything written assumes a greater degree of significance than what is only spoken. If the spoken takes the place of the written or vice versa, it means that we are faced with a stylistic device. 

Special literary-bookish vocabulary

1. Terms and learned words.

    These are words denoting scientific concepts or objects, processes, phenomena of science, humanities, technique.

    One of the most characteristic features of a term is its direct relevance to the system of terms used in a particular science, discipline or art.

    e.g. power

         transmission

         circumference

    Terms are mostly used in special works dealing with the notions of some branch, therefore it may be said that they belong to the style of the language of science. But their usage is not confined to this style. They may appear in other styles, but their function in this case changes: they do not refer to a given concept. In other styles a term may acquire a stylistic function to create the environment, the true-to-life atmosphere of the narration, or to make some reference to the occupation of the character thus creating a particular professional background. A term may be used with a parodying function contributing to a humorous effect.

    So when used in the belles-lettres style, a term may become a stylistic device. This happens when a term is used in such a way that two meanings are materialized simultaneously.  

2. Poetic and highly literary words.

    Poetic and highly literary words belong to special literary vocabulary. They are mostly archaic and aim at producing an elevated effect or giving the work of are a lofty poetic colouring.

    Poetic tradition has kept alive such archaic words and forms as follows:

            poetic                neutral

        woe                      sorrow

       quouth                    speak

       harken                     hear

       speaketh                 speaks

       cometh                    comes

       brethren                  brothers

        wilt                        2-nd person singular 

    Poetic words are not freely built. Very often they are built by compounding:

    e.g. young-eyed, rosy-fingered.

    In the following poem by L. Hughes we may see the examples of poetic style not only in the choice of word, but also in the compound word.

                                Langston Hughes

                                                              Dreams

                                                 Hold fast to dreams

                                                 For if dreams die

                                                 Life is a broken-winged bird

                                                 That cannot fly.

                                                             Hold fast to dreams

                                                            For when dreams go

                                                             Life is a barren field

                                                             Frozen with snow.

    Poetic words are said to evoke emotive meanings. They colour the utterance with a certain air of loftiness. But very often they become too hackneyed, too stale for this purpose.

    Poetic words in an ordinary environment may also have a satirical function. 

3. Archaic words (obsolescent and obsolete words).

    The word-stock of any language is in the state of constant change. Words change their meaning and sometimes drop out of the language altogether.

    We shall distinguish 3 stages in the aging process of words.

    The first stage means the beginning of the aging process when the word becomes rarely used. Such words are in the stage of gradually passing out of general use, and are called obsolescent [,Cbsə′lesənt] (выходящий  из употребления, устаревающий). These are morphological forms belonging to the earlier stages in the development of the language. They are quite easily recognized by the English language community.

    e.g.     thou (ты)

               thee (тебя, тебе, тобой)

               thy (твой)

             -est – thou makest

             -(e)th – he maketh, speaketh

              wilt – will

    Obsolescent words are widely used in poetry as in the following poem by G.G.Byron.

                                                               G.G. Byron 
                                            And wilt thou weep when I am low?

                                         And wilt thou weep when I am low?

                                                Sweet lady! Speak those words again:

                                         Yet if they grieve thee, say not so –

                                                 I would not give that bosom pain. 

                                         My heart is sad, my hopes are gone,

                                                 My blood runs coldly through my breast;

                                         And when I perish, thou alone

                                                 Wilt sigh above my place of rest.

    The second stage of the aging process. Here are included those words that have already gone completely out of use but are still recognized by the English speaking community. They are called obsolete [′Cbsəli:t]  (вышедший из   употребления, устаревший).

    e.g.  methinks  " it seems to me

            nay " no

            whereof " of which

    The third stage indicates the words which are no longer recognized in Modern English. They are called archaic proper. 

    e.g.  troth  (faith)

            a losel  (a lazy fellow)

            befall   (happen)

    There are also historical words denoting concepts and phenomena that are out of use in modern times. They never disappear from the language and have no synonyms, while archaic words have been replaced by modern synonyms.

    e.g.  knight

            yeoman

            spear

            goblet

    Historical words are primarily used in the creation of a realistic background of historical novels.

    One of the main functions of archaisms is purely poetic function, when they are used to create an elevated effect, or to suit a solemn occasion.

    It should be mentioned that archaic words are frequently found in the style of official documents.

    e.g.  aforesaid (aforenamed)

           hereby

           hereinafter

           henceforth

    Their function here is terminological in character. They help to maintain the exactness of expression so necessary in this style.

    When archaic words are used in a depiction of events of present-day life, they assume the function of a stylistic device. They may be used for satirical purposes. So, archaisms occurring in inappropriate surroundings are intentionally used by the writer to cause a humorous effect. 

4. Barbarisms and foreignisms.

    Barbarisms are words of foreign origin which have not entirely been assimilated into the English language. They bear the appearance of a borrowing and are felt as something alien to the native tongue.

    Most of them have corresponding English synonyms.

    e.g.  chic (stylish)

            bon mot  (a clever witty saying)

            tête-a tête (face to face)

    Barbarisms have already become facts of the English language: they are given in dictionaries.

    Foreign words do not belong to the English vocabulary, they are not registered in dictionaries. They are generally italicized to indicate their foreign nature or their stylistic value.

    Very often foreign words fulfill a terminological function. They have no synonyms.

    e.g. Duma

           Kandidat

           blitzkrieg

           perestroika

           taiga

    Both barbarisms and foreign words are used in various styles with various aims. One of their functions is to supply local colour, that is to depict local conditions of life, customs and habits, concrete facts and events and other specific cultural peculiarities.