Levochkina, S. V. Cognitive linguistic aspects of onyms in the fantasy literary text (the data of Ursula Le Guin's novels)
This dissertation studies cognitive linguistic foundations of onyms, or proper names (PN), in the fantasy literary text represented by the novels of Ursula Le Guin.
The dataset is represented by 929 PN and by 7976 cases of their use in Ursula Le Guin’s tetralogy “The Earthsea Quartet” (the novels “The Wizard of Earthsea”, “The Tombs of Atuan”, “The Farthest Shore” and “Tehanu”). To study the naming mechanisms used in coining onyms by the author, this enquiry employs a complex theoretical framework aimed to solve a number of particular tasks. This framework includes conceptions and research techniques developed in the theory of naming and in cognitive linguistics. The conceptions of the theory of naming are the meaning, the inner form as a fragment of meaning (motivator) exposed in the outer, material form of a linguistic expression, and the onomasiological structure that arranges the inner form (O. O. Potebnya, M. Dokulil, and E. S. Kubryakova). The linguistic theories whose methods are borrowed into the analysis are Semantics of Lingual Networks (S. A. Zhabotynska), and Semantics of Prototypes (E. Rosch, A. Wierzbicka, G. Lakoff, and J. Taylor). The findings of Semantics of Lingual Networks are used: a) to structure the conceptual matrix for THE MAGIC LAND OF EARTHSEA mental space; this matrix arranges the system of textual referents that possess PN; b) to build onomasiological structures of these PN. The basic principles of the Theory of Prototypes are employed: a) to define the central and peripheral statuses of the onomasiological structures applied in PN that belong to particular groups of textual referents; b) to establish the central and peripheral statuses of the basic propositional schemas (BPS) that structure onomasiological models of onyms – those that belong to particular groups of textual referents, and the onyms of the whole text. The Semantics of Prototypes issues are substantiated with quantitative analysis which is also foundational for developing the coefficients of onyms’ density. Such coefficients demonstrate concentration of PN on certain groups of textual referents. The results of this study can be summarized in the following conclusions.
In the fantasy novels by Ursula Le Guin, the referential meanings of onyms are represented with a multi-level conceptual matrix, where the entire conceptual sphere (information about the Magic Land of Earthsea) is constituted by domains (thematically homogeneous spaces within the conceptual sphere), the domains are constituted by parcels and sub-parcels (thematically homogeneous spaces within domains), which comprise concepts (information about the referents of PN). The data shows that THE MAGIC LAND OF EARTHSEA conceptual sphere has four domains: MAGIC WORLD (the parcels: Magicians, the School of Magic, Magic, Tools of Magic, Magic Beasts, and Magic Plants), ORDINARY WORLD (parcels: Nobility, Lower Orders, Beasts, and Artefacts), BELIEFS (parcels: Gods, Objects of Worship, and Holidays), and NATURAL ENVIRONMENT (parcels: Lands, Waters, and Stars, Constellations). The thematic parts (domains, parcels and sub-parcels) of THE MAGIC LAND OF EARTHSEA conceptual model differ in exposure of onyms’ density that depends on the number of PN and their iterations in the text.
According to Semantics of Lingual Networks, possession of a PN by the referent is represented by the BPS of personification: “X-individual is PS-personifier (PN)”. The Personifier, or a PN, can be non-motivated and motivated. In the latter case it represents a fragment of the referential meaning, or information about the possessor of the PN.
In this dissertation, THE MAGIC LAND OF EARTHSEA multi-level conceptual space was also examined as a prototypical category constituted by the system of naming media (PN) whose onomasiological structures become prototypical members of the category or its peripheral members that demonstrate different degrees of proximity to the prototype.
Key words: proper name, fantasy, cognitive linguistic analysis, conceptual sphere, matrix model, domain, parcel, onym’s inner form, onomasiological structure, basic propositional schemas.
