This thesis analyzes the means of expressing emotive-pragmatic connotation in German-language "commentary" texts. The paper describes the features, structure, pragmatic specifics and functions of the "commentary" language genre. The lexical units with pragmatic connotation are classified according to structural and semantic principles, pragmatic functions and spheres of usage. The pragmatic significance of the units of German "commentary" language genre is demonstrated.
The study proves that pragmatic component of meaning is peripheral or secondary to its semantic meaning. On the other hand, the pragmatic component belongs to the semantic structure of the word along with the logical, conceptual-semantic, emotive-connotative and structural components. This component is significant and determines a word choice in a particular speech situation.
The semantic structure of the word presents a complex multilevel system. The denotative meaning of the word is associated with the intellectual function of the language, and the connotative meaning is an additional – pragmatic – information that performs communicative, emotive, appellative and aesthetic functions.
The thesis highlights lexical, word-formative, grammatical, stylistic and pragmatic connotative means of German commentary texts. The main figurative and stylistic means of expressing emotive-pragmatic connotation are the nominative units that appear to be a result of the semantic shift: metaphorization, metonymization and comparison. The grammatical means of expressing pragmatic connotation are the use of articles, plural noun forms, comparative and superlative forms of adjectives; expressive use of present tense forms to describe past events. Imperative sentences, antithesis, gradation, conjunctive constructions, parallelism and inversion are the means of expression of pragmatic connotation at the syntactic level. Affixations and complex formations make the typical means of explication of derivational connotation. Convertible lexical units and abbreviations are found to be less representative in the commentary texts.
The study shows that emotive-pragmatic connotations arise in a certain communicative-pragmatic environment. The evaluative-expressive, functional-stylistic and figurative types of connotations are inherent to the commentary as a genre variety of German-language newspaper journalism. The peculiarity of pragmatic connotation is its trope (metonymy, comparison) and evaluative nature. Conceptual metaphors influence evaluative and expressive characteristics of pragmatic connotation.
The thesis highlights the implementation of various expressions of connotation in synonymic and antonymic relations. Borrowed words, terms, professionalisms and internationalisms occupy a significant place among the lexical means of expressing pragmatic connotation. Functionally marked lexicon is represented by wide use of literary and colloquial language, expressive language means (antonyms, synonyms), and socio-professional lexicon. The three types of functionally marked lexicon are distinguished on the basis of the analysed data: stylistic, social and temporal.
