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5.2. Stylistic Devices activating knowledge structures
One of the most significant properties of stylistic devices as cultural models is the fact that they represent knowledge structures. The notion of “knowledge structures” being a key notion of Cognitive Linguistics appears to be of benefit for Linguoculturology. It is acknowledged that knowledge is not an amorphous entity: it is structured to present certain blocks of information, and that conditioned the use of the term “knowledge structure”. So, knowledge structures are understood as blocks of information containing a system of interrelated concepts.
There are different types of knowledge structures: a) linguistic (lexicon, grammar, phonetics, word-formation, etc.); b) communicative (communicative aims and intentions, conditions and circumstances of communication), c) cultural (literature, art, cultural values, customs and traditions, etc); d) religious (beliefs, faith, myths, legends, images). All these types of knowledge are subdivided into two main groups: linguistic knowledge and non-linguistic one, i.e. knowledge of the world presented in the human mind (See diagram):
Many stylistic devices serve as verbal signals aimed to represent certain knowledge structures. In this respect such stylistic devices as antonomasia, allusion, mythologemes should be specially outlined.
In the following excerpt allusion serves the function of transferring knowledge of social character as in the following adverticement: “Limited Edition Lacquer. No More Waity Katie. Snag your prince and make wedding bells ring”.
In the above advertisement of nail polish we come across the reference to Kate Middleton – prince William’s wife. The journalists gave her a nickname – Waity Katie, since she had been waiting for a wedding proposal for a very long time: The conceptual significance is achieved not only by the precedent name - Kate Middleton, but also by the appeal to break the cultural stereotype that women should passively wait for the proposal. In other words, the cultural model is expressed by the proposition: Modern women are free of stereotypes.
The following extract from the story “You touched me” by D.H. Lawrence also illustrates the role of allusion in representing knowledge structures:
Matilda was a tall, thin, graceful fair girl, with a rather large nose. She was the Mary to Emmie’s Martha: that is, Matilda liked painting and music, and read a good many novels, whilst Emmie looked after house-keeping. Emmie was shorter, plumper than her sister, and she had no accomplishments. She looked up to Matilda, whose mind was naturally refined and sensible.
In the description of sisters Rockley the author uses allusions Mary and Martha. The usage of these allusions activates certain knowledge structures in the mind of the reader, focusing his/her attention on important information. In this particular case the knowledge structures of religious character are activated. According to the biblical legend, Martha and Mary offered hospitality to Jesus during his travels. Mary sat and listened to him as he talked, but Martha was distracted by cooking dinner and doing the housework. When Martha complained Jesus advised Martha not to worry about small things, but to concentrate on what was important as her sister Mary did. Due to this legend, the name Martha acquired a symbolical meaning “a lady of the house, a housewife” whereas Mary means “a wise woman or lady”. Using these allusive anthroponyms, the author describes two characters in contrast: Matilda living a spiritual life (liked painting and music, read a good many novels, refined and sensible) and Emmie dragging out a miserable existence (looked after house-keeping, had no accomplishments).
Another example is illustrative of the literary knowledge structures:
He has a bit of a Jekyll and Hide, our Austin. I think Dorina is afraid of him (Murdoch “An accidental man”).
Here the literary allusion expressed by the proper names Jekyll and Hide are used. To understand the meaning of this allusion the reader is supposed to be familiar with a short story “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide” by R.L. Stivenson. The hero of the story is of a dual character. Sometimes he appears to be a good-natured person (Dr. Jekyll), and sometimes he is an embodiment of evil (Mr. Hide). In this context the proper nouns “Jekyll and Hide” reveal the characteristic features of the personage and symbolize the concepts of “Goodness and Evil”.
Another stylistic device that reflects knowledge structures is antonomasia. From the stylistic point of view antonomasia is an image-bearing stylistic device aimed to express emotional, subjective-evaluative attitude of the author. From the communicative standpoint antonomasia realises the principle of linguistic economy. Thus, in O’Neil’s play “Long day’s journey into night” we find the author’s remark in the portrait description:
Jamie, the elder, is thirty three, He has his father’s broad-shouldered, deep chested physique, is an inch taller and weighs less, but appears shorter and stouter... Combined with his habitual expression of cynicism it gives his countenance a Mephistophelian cast (Three American Plays, 1972).
Here the antonomasia, expressed by the derivative adjective, is motivated by the proper name “Mephistophel” which contains knowledge structures associated with Goethe’s “Faust”. In its turn the image of Mephistophel, symbolising evil, malice, contempt to people, serves to characterise the personage of this play – Jamie. So, the author uses one word “Mephistophelian” instead of long explanations to characterise the personage of this play.
To conclude, the analysis of stylistic devices in the framework of linguocultural studies proves that: a) stylistic devices are culture relevant units conveying cultural information and aesthetic values to the reader; b) stylistic devices as cultural models are presented either in proposition-schematic or image-schematic forms, and manifest elements of universal and national culture; c) most relevant to culture representation are stylistic devices based on imagery, interdtextuality, and the principle of politeness.
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