Kuznyetsova G. Structural and Semantic Variantion of Phraseoligical Units in English Belles-Lettres Discourse: Cognitive and Pragmatic Aspects (on the material of modern British and American fiction)

The thesis focuses on the study of structural and semantic variation of phraseological units within belles-lettres discourse in terms of cognitive and pragmatic parameters of the speech phenomenon in question. It has been shown that the range of semantic variation of phraseological units is rather wide and includes five main types and seventeen subtypes which have been subjected to systematization and classification. A new approach to the image constituent of phraseological meaning is represented. The emphasis is laid on the ability of phraseological transforms to serve as the basis of expended and combined images through which the key concepts of belles-lettres text are actualized and the main textual symbols, performing the leading role in creating the contextual frame, are expressed. The basic or transformed phraseologism used as the title of a belles-lettres text serves as the speech signal of its key concept. The analysis of the communicative-pragmatic peculiarities of phraseological transforms has made it possible to distinguish a number of certain indirect speech tactics, namely, those of hint, ambiguity, and additional sense nuances. The plurality of speech tactics has been revealed. It has been stated that these tactics are the realization of the so-called ‘perception manipulation’ speech strategy. The conclusion is made that skilful use of phraseological transforms can be regarded as the marker of the author’s individual style.