Golovashchenko I. Semantic Dimension of Novels by John Maxwell Coetzee

The thesis outlines a lexico-centric approach to the notion of the semantic space of a literary text. The linguistic basis of the semantic space of a literary text is defined as a lexical semantic structure, which is determined by the author’s individual language picture of the world as well as the paradigm of genre and style of the fiction text. The dominant generic-thematic features of postcolonial novels are identified. The individual generic-thematic feature of John Maxwell Coetzee’s novels is recognized as social and individual alienation. The method of organizing the core-periphery structure of a LSFis elaborated and implemented, reflecting quantitative and semantic factors and highlighting the author’s dominant semantic aspects. The lexical semantic structure of the semantic space of novels by John Maxwell Coetzee is divided into three LSF. The systemic aspect of LSFs in the semantic space of John Maxwell Coetzee’s novels is described. Functions of constituents of the LSF are determined. Key words: semantic space, literary text, lexical semantic structure, lexical semantic field, lexical semantic microfield, semantic subclass, author’s individual language picture of the world, postcolonial novel.