Radionova K. Structure and Semantics of English Stable Comparative Units

The thesis is focused on the study of structural and semantic peculiarities of English stable comparative units as the most expressive language types of diverse comparison process. The analysis of essays on comparison's nature has enabled to identify three aspects of its study: 1) gnoseological, where comparison is regarded as a complex cognitive process, focused on reality perception; 2) logical, which identifies comparison as a logical model of two analogous notions correlation; 3) linguistic, which indicates that language structure is represented by comparative constructions, focused on correlation of opposite not analogous notions. Metaphor and simile correlation has been investigated, similar and differential features of two language notions have been described. The main determined differentiation criteria (icon lucidity, superficial structure, influence on people's conscience) have been worked out. The methods of analysis employed for the research have made it possible to study structure and semantics of English comparative units. Similes semantic-ideographic classification has been proposed on basis of 1750 stable comparative units selected from lexicographical sources by means of selective method. 7 essential ideographic groups (1) Person's Appearance; 2) Person's Aesthetic Features; 3) Person's Physical Condition; 4) Person's Inner World and Character; 5) Communication and Emotion Expression; 6) Colour Perception; 7) Natural Surroundings) are represented in the thesis. Simile universal structural model which consists of four components (subject, basis, comparative conjunction, object) is defined in the scientific work. The model can be visually represented by means of such construction: A – C – m B, A is some item or phenomenon, which is compared, B –comparative icon, m – comparative modus, C – comparative basis. It has been found out that subject and basis can be implicit or explicit. Depending on structural organization and component parameters stable units have been classified into phrases built like word-combinations and phrases with sentence structure. Word-combination similes have been classified into: 1) adjective; 2) verb; 3) noun; 4) adverb; 5) comparative units alike sentence. Models of comparative units structural organization have been worked out. The method of quantitative analysis has helped to reveal such structural simile’s peculiarities: 1) two-component similes (without stable comparative subject) are the most dominant among analyzed comparative units; 2) the most efficient structural models of English comparative units are the next ones: Adj. + conj. + N; Adj. + conj. + subordinate phrase; N. + conj. + subordinate phrase. Peculiarities of English comparative units semantic representation are defined. The key semantic classification criteria (the left side of a structural construction which consists of a comparative phrase subject and basis) for English stable comparative units has been determined. An icon part of a comparative unit and its functions have been studied. The selected similes have been classified into 34 semantic subgroups in accordance with icon of comparative structure. The analysis of the empiric material has revealed that the largest part of English stable comparative units have real life icons taken from a particular mentality. The conclusion is made that English stable comparative units appear to be unique and significant codes of mentality national conscience.