Лексико грамматические особенности перевода публицистического текста

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF UKRAINE

DRAGOMANOVA NATIONAL PEDAGOGIKAL UNIVERSITY

 

 

THE INSTITUTE OF FOREIGN PHILOLOGY

THE GERMANICAL AND COMPARATIVE LINGUISTICS DEPARTMENT

 

 

 

LEXICAL-GRAMMATICAL PECULIARITIES OF PUBLICISTIC TEXTS

 

 

 

Term paper

Performed by

Helena Pidgrushna

Group 32

 

 

 

Scientific supervisor:  Kurinska O.M.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kyiv - 2009

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………….…3

CHAPTER 1………………………………………………………....…………………..…4

1.1. Functional styles of the English language……………………………………….…4

1.2. Publicistic style………………………………………………………………….….7

1.3. Classification of publicistic style………………………………………..…………9

1.4. Grammatical peculiarities of publicistic texts…………………………………….12

1.5. Lexical peculiarities of publicistic texts…………………………………………..14

CHAPTER 2………………………………………………………………………………16

2.1. Lexical-grammatical peculiarities of publicistic style on the examples of oratorical speeches………………………………………………………………………………...…16

2.2. Lexical-grammatical peculiarities of publicistic style on the examples of articles headlines………………………………………………………………………………..…17

CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………19

SUMMARY……………………………………………………………………………….20

BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………………………22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Functional styles are not a standard set of styles or various norms of circuits. They are rules of correct speech, which were allocated during centuries, a system of interrelated language means which serve a definite aim in communication and falls into some varieties. Publicistic style is concern to bookish style, which corresponds to public speeches.

We have chosen this topic because of its obvious importance. Nowadays is very important to be able to speak and to write on public themes correctly. And you see the publicistic style is used in all oratorical speeches and journalistic articles. Topic is rather urgent, because to know and to correctly use lexical and grammatical peculiarities of this style is a direct way to success.

Purpose of this term-paper is to find, to expose and to show main features of publicistic text. Publicistic text is characterized by coherent and logical syntactical structure, with an expanded system of connectives and careful paragraphing.  Its emotional appeal is achieved by the use of words with the emotive meaning but the stylistic devices are not fresh or genuine. The individual element is not very evident.  Publicistic text is also characterized by the brevity of expression, sometimes it becomes a leading feature.

The subject of term-paper is publicistic style, its classification and place among other functional styles. The object is peculiarities of publicistic texts, grammatical and lexical, which distinguish and allocate it among the styles of language.

The method of research which was used in an operating time above term-paper is traditional. During the prosecution of the topic a lot of sources were revised. Libraries and internet were used. Usually authors are considering on functional styles in general, concerning publicistic style only partially. Also were revised a lot of abstracts of dissertations related with this topic.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 1

 

1.1 FUNCTIONAL STYLES OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

 

Functional styles are the subsystems of language, each subsystem has its own peculiar features in what concern vocabulary means, syntactical constructions, and even phonetics.[6;9] The appearance and existence of functional styles are connected with the specific conditions of communication in different spheres of human life. Functional styles differ not only in the possibility or impossibility of using some elements but also due to the frequency of their usage.[6;12] For example, some terms can appear in the colloquial style but the possibility of its appearance is quite different form the possibility to meet it in an example of scientific style.

The classification of functional styles is a very complicated problem. In the English literary standard we distinguish the following major functional styles:

1) The language of belles-lettres.

2) The language of publicistic literature.

3) The language of newspapers.

4) The language of scientific prose.

5) The language of official documents.

Each functional styles is a relatively stable system at the given stage in the development of the literary language, but it changes, and sometimes considerably, from one period to another.  Therefore FS is a historical category.  Thus, for example in the 17^th century it was considered that not all words can be used in poetry, and that a separate poetic style exists. Later, in the 19^th century romanticism rejected the norms of poetic style and introduced new vocabulary to poetry. The development of each style is predetermined by the changes in the norms of standard English.  It is also greatly influenced by changing social conditions, the progress of science and the development of cultural life.

Each functional style may be characterized by a number of distinctive features, leading or subordinate constant or changing obligatory or optional. Every functional style of language is marked by a specific use of language means, thus establishing its own norms which, however, are subordinated to the norm-invariant and which do not violate the general notion of the literary norm. The writers of the given period in the development of the literary language contribute greatly to establishing the system of norms of their period.  It is worth noting that the investigations of language norms at a given period are to great extent maintained on works of men of letters. Selection, or deliberate choice of language, and the ways the chosen elements are treated the main distinctive features of individual style.

Individual style is a unique combination of language units, expressive means and stylistic devices peculiar to a given writer, which makes that writer's works or even utterances easily recognizable. [6;17] Naturally, the individual style of a writer will never be entirely independent of the literary norms and canons of the given period.  But the adaptations of these canons will always be peculiar and therefore distinguishable.  This style is based on a thorough knowledge of the contemporary language and allows certain justifiable deviations from the rigorous norms. Individual style requires to be studied in a course of stylistics in so far as it makes use of the potentialities of language means, whatever the characters of these potentialities may be.

The term “neutral style” is used mostly to denote the background for realizing stylistic peculiarities of stylistically colored elements. Neutral style is characterized by the absence of stylistic coloring and by the possibility to be used in any communicative situation. This style is deliberately simplified. It serves any situation of communication. [1;25]

Colloquial style serves situations of spontaneous everyday communication (casual, non-formal). This style is divided into upper colloquial, common colloquial and low colloquial. The latter two have their own peculiar features connected with region, gender, age of the speaker.  Colloquial style can be used in fiction, bookish style represented for example by oratorical style exists in the oral form only. At the same time we should remember that colloquial speech which we meet in fiction has undergone some transformations: the writer usually compresses linguistic information choosing the typical and avoiding the accidental.

Bookish style corresponds to public speech (non-casual, formal). This division does not coincide with the division into spoken and written language. Bookish style embraces scientific, official, publicistic (newspaper), oratorical, and poetic styles. [6;28]

There are no strict boundaries separating one functional style from another. The oratorical style has much in common with a publicistic one. The publicistic newspaper style is close to the colloquial style. But if we consider this problem it will be evident that we are dealing with the combination of different functional style in the speech of a given individual because each functional style is characterized by certain parameters concerning vocabulary and syntax. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.2. PUBLICISTIC STYLE

 

Publicist style is a perfect example of the historical changeability of stylistic differentiation of discourses. In ancient Greece, e.g., it was practiced mainly in its oral form and was best known as oratorical style, within which views and sentiments of the addresser (orator) found their expression. Nowadays political, ideological, ethical, social beliefs and statements of the addresser are prevailingly expressed in the written form, which was labelled publicist in accordance with the name of the corresponding genre and its practitioners.[16]

The publicistic style of language was separated from other styles in the middle of the 17^th century. 

The publicistic style is used in public speeches and printed public works which are addressed to a broad audience and devoted to important social or political events, public problems of cultural or moral character. [9;10]

Publicistic style is characterized by coherent and logical syntactical structure, with an expanded system of connectives and careful paragraphing.  It is also characterized by the brevity of expression (sometimes it becomes a leading feature).

The general aim of publicistic style is to exert a constant and deep influence on public opinion, to convince the reader or the listener that the interpretation given by the writer or the speaker is the only correct one and to cause him to accept the point of view expressed in the speech, essays or article not merely by logical argumentation, but by emotional appeal as well. This brain-washing function is most effective in oratory, for here the most powerful instrument of persuasion is brought into play: the human voice. [16]

Due to its characteristic combination of logical argumentation and emotional appeal, the publicistic style has features in common with the style of scientific prose or official documents, on the one hand, and that of emotive prose, on the other. It’s coherent and logical syntactic structure, with an expanded system of connectives and its careful paragraphing, makes it similar to scientific prose. Its emotional appeal is generally achieved by the use of words with emotive meaning; but the stylistic devices are not fresh or genuine.  The publicistic style also has some elements of emotionally coloured colloquial style as the author has no need to make their speech impersonal (as in scientific or official style), but, on the contrary, he or she tries to approximate the text to lively communication, as though they were talking to people in direct contact.[14]

Publicistic style is one of the most claimed styles nowadays. Such its popularity can be explained by its purpose to affect the reader and orientation on a wide audience. Publicistic style is used practically everywhere: beginning from political speeches and finishing by articles in the newspapers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.3. CLASSIFICATION OF PUBLICISTIC STYLE

 

Publicistic style falls into three varieties, each having its own distinctive features. Unlike other formal styles, it has two spoken varieties, namely the oratorical sub-style and the development of radio and television has brought into being a new spoken variety of the radio and television commentary. The other two sub-styles are the essay (moral, philosophical, literary) and journalistic articles (political, social, and economic). 

 

Oratory and speeches

  The most obvious purpose of oratory is persuasion, and it requires eloquence. This style is evident in speeches on political and social problems of the day, in orations and addresses on solemn occasions as public weddings, funerals and jubilees, in sermons and debates and also in the speeches of counsel and judges in courts of law.

The sphere of application of oratory is confined to appeal to an audience and therefore crucial issues in such spheres as science, art, or business relations are not touched upon.

Direct contact with the listeners permits the combination of the syntactical, lexical and phonetic peculiarities of both the written and spoken varieties of language. In its leading feature, however, the oratorical style belongs to the written variety of language, though it is modified by the oral form of the utterance and the use of gestures. [15]

The essay

In comparison with the oratorical style, the essay aims at a more lasting, hence at a slower effect. Epigrams, paradoxes and aphorisms are comparatively rare in oratory, as they require the concentrated attention of the listener. In the essay they are commoner, for the reader has an opportunity to make a careful and detailed study both of the content of the utterance and its form.

This genre in English literature dates from the 16th century, and its name is taken from the short “Essays” (=experiments, attempts) by the French writer Montaigne, which contained his thoughts on various subjects. An essay is a literary composition of moderate length on philosophical, social or literary subjects, which preserves a clearly personal character and has no pretence to deep or strictly scientific treatment of the subject. It never goes deep into the subject, but merely touches upon the surface. Personality in the treatment of theme and naturalness of expression are 2 of the most obvious characteristics of the essay. An essay is rather a series of personal and witty comments than a finished argument or a conclusive examination of any matter, without any definite conclusions.

Nowadays an essay is usually a kind of feature article in a magazine or newspaper. Essays are written commonly by one and the same writer or journalist, who has cultivated his own individual style. Some essays, depending on the writer’s individuality, are written in a highly emotional manner resembling the style of emotive prose, others resemble scientific prose and the terms review, memoir, or treatise are more applicable to certain more exhaustive studies.

The essay on moral and philosophical topics in modern times has not been so popular, probably because a deeper scientific analysis and interpretation of facts is required. The essay in our days is often biographical; people, facts and events are taken from life. These essays differ from those of previous centuries - their vocabulary is simpler and so is their logical structure and argumentation. [9;18]

Journalistic articles

In the 19^th century the essay as a literary term gradually changed into what we now call the journalistic article or feature article which covers all kinds of subjects from politics, philosophy or aesthetics to travel, sport and fashions. Feature articles are generally published in newspapers, especially weeklies and Sunday editions.

The language of journalistic articles is defined by the character of newspaper, magazine, as well as subjects chosen. Irrespective of the character of the magazine and the divergence of subject matter – whether it is political, literary, popular-scientific or satirical, all the features of publistic style are to be found in any article. The character of the magazine as well as the subject chosen affects the choice and use of stylistic devices. There are popular scientific articles, satirical articles, political magazine articles, newspaper articles, etc.[8;34]

 All these sub-styles have both similar and various features, irrespective of oral they or written. Sub-styles can differ by an orientation of themes or semantic filling. But basic lexical and grammatical peculiarities of the publicistic texts are saved in all textual sub-styles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.4. GRAMMATICAL PECULIARITIES OF PUBLICISTIC TEXTS

 

Terminologically, the publicistic text seems the hardest to define. Its communicative function is determined by "publicity" - its openness to a wide and dispersed audience, in terms of character, place and time.

Having a number of distinctive properties, the publicistic text is characterized by a number of attributes peculiar to any type of the text. One of main features of a structure of the publicistic style is their coherent and logical grammatic structure and careful paragraphing.  Rather frequently is used the 1^st person singular to justify a personal approach to the problem treated.

Among categories of the text the modality is allocated which alongside with purposefulness and pragmatical installation, represents itself as one of its main characteristics.

It was established, that the given indexes of a modality are used in the analyzed texts 3583 times (or 86,9 % from total sample in 4000 examples). 28 modal modifiers including traditionally understood modal words, word collocations and particles were allocated.[3;8]

Modal words:

1. actually
2. admittedly
3. allegedly
4. apparently
5. certainly
6. clearly
7. evidently
8. indeed
9. manifestly
10. maybe
11. naturally
12. obviously
13. perhaps
14. possibly
15. probably
16. presumably
17. really
18. supposedly
19. surely
20. undoubtedly
21. unquestionably

Modal word collocations:

1. in fact (as the matter of the fact)
2. of course
3. no doubt

Modal particles:

1. hardly
2. necessarily
3. possibly
4. scarcely

The modal updatings can be in interposition (69,9 %), preposition (27 %) and postposition (3,1 %). [3;10] For example:

1. This will evidently be impossible (MS, Nov. 7, 1980, p1)
2. We actually have some several million unemployed (WMR, Oct. 1980, p103)
3. There is in fact some evidence (LM, Feb. 1981, p53)

Rather frequently in publicistic style it is possible to see such grammatic features as:

• The use of the 1st person pronoun “we” and 2nd person pronoun “you”
• The use of contractions “I’ll”; “won’t”; “haven’t”; “isn’t” and others
• Prevailing of verbs in heading.[14]

Basically, there aren’t a lot of grammatic peculiarities of the publicistic texts. But in them any grammatic mistakes are not admitted. Grammatically correct sentences are the pledge of success of the publicistic texts.

1.5. LEXICAL PECULIARITIES OF PUBLICISTIC TEXTS

 

The publicistic style has also a number of lexical peculiarities. Specific literary vocabulary is characteristic to publicistic style. Usually they are:

• Terms

Terms are characterized by a tendency to be monosemantic and therefore easily call forth the required concept. Terms no longer fulfill their basic function, that of bearing an exact reference to a given notion or concept. The their function is either to indicate the technical peculiarities of the subject dealt with, or to make some references to the occupation of a character whose language would naturally contain special words and expressions. A term has a stylistic function when it is used to create an atmosphere or to characterize a person.[15]