Zabolotska O. Imperative Syntactic Constructions in English Poetic Discourse: Cognitive and Pragmatic Aspects

This thesis focuses on revealing linguistic, pragmatic and cognitive properties of imperative constructions in English poetic discourse. In the framework of Construction Grammar the imperative constructions are viewed as linguistic and cognitive construals representing phrasal patterns of form and semantic function. It is claimed that the variety of formal expression of the imperative constructions in poetic discourse determine the scope of their functions. It has been proved that the text-building function of the imperative constructions ensure the peculiarities of a poetic text composition and intertextual relations while their discursive functions help to realize dialogical character and convey communicative and pragmatic intentions of the author. It is maintained that imperative constructions realize literary speech acts which serve as units of imperative poetic discourse and are classified into order, advice, and request. It is assumed that pragmatic properties of imperative constructions show up in their illocutionary force which enables the realization of communicative strategies of the addressor and perlocutionary effect upon the addressee. Key words: the imperative constructions, poetic discourse, text-building and discursive functions, cognitive and pragmatic properties, literary speech acts, communicative strategy.