The Gap-Sentence Link

The Gap-Sentence Link (GSL) is a peculiar type of connection of sentences in which the connection is not immediately seen and it requires an effort to grasp the interrelation between the parts of the utterance.

  She and that fellow ought to be the sufferers, and they are in Italy.(It means-Those who ought to be the sufferers are enjoying themselves in Italy where well-to-do English people go for holiday.)

 The Gap-Sentence Link is generally indicated by and or but. The functions of GSL are the following:

1) it signals the introduction of inner represented speech;

 2) it indicates a subjective evaluation of the facts;

 3) it displays an unexpected coupling of ideas.

  The Gap-Sentence Link aims at stirring up in the reader’s mind the suppositions, associations and conditions under which the sentence can exist.

Ellipsis

Ellipsis refers to any omitted part of speech that is understood, i.e. the omission is intentional. In writing and printing this intentional omission is indicated by the row of three dots (…) or asterisks (***).

Ellipsis always imitates the common features of colloquial language. This punctuation mark is called a suspension point or dot-dot-dot.

Aposiopesis/Break –in-the-narrative

Good intentions but-; You just come home or I’ll…

Litotes

Litotes is a peculiar use of negative construction: the negation plus noun or adjective establish a positive feature in a person or thing. It is a deliberate understatement used to produce a stylistic effect. Litotes is not a pure negation, but a negation that includes affirmation.

It is not bad.-(Is a good thing)

 He is no coward.-(He is a brave man)

 Such negative constructions have a stronger effect on the reader than affirmative ones.

  She was not without taste.

 The constructions with two negations: not unlike, not unpromising, not displeased make positive phrases.

Stylistic Classification of the English Vocabulary

The whole word-stock of the English language is divided into three main layers: the literary layer, the neutral layer and the colloquial layer

 The common property of the words of the literary layer is their bookish character. The aspect of the colloquial layer is its lively spoken character. The words of the neutral layer have a universal character: they can be used in any style of a language and in all spheres of human activity.

 The literary vocabulary

Common literary words

Terms and learn words

Poetic words

Archaic words

Barbarisms and foreign words

Literary coinages/nonce words.

 The colloquial vocabulary

Common colloquial words

Slang

Jargonisms

Professional words

Dialectal words

Vulgar words

Colloquial coinages

The neutral vocabulary/Standard vocabulary

Common literary words

Common colloquial words

Neutral words.

 Neutral words are the main source of synonymy and polysymy. Most neutral words are of monosyllabic character. This phenomenon led to the development of conversion as the most productive means of word-building.

 Common literary words are mainly used in writing and polished speech. Colloquial words are always more emotionally coloured than literary ones.

Special Literary Vocabulary

A. Terms

Terms are mostly used in the language of science but they can appear in any other style. When used in science terms are connected with the concepts they denote. In other styles they indicate technical peculiarities or make some relevance to the occupation of a character, create a special atmosphere.

B. Poetic and Highly Literary Words

  Poetic words and expression sustain the special elevated atmosphere of poetry. They are mostly archaic and used in art.

C. Archaic, Obsolescent and Obsolete Words

Historical Terms cannot be classified as archaic (thane, yeoman, goblet, baldric, mace), they have no synonyms but archaic words can be replaced by modern synonyms. Archaic words are predominantly used in the creation of a realistic background to historical novels. The heroes of the historical novels should speak the language of the period the writer describes.

 There are three stages in the aging process of words:

 1. words become rarely used. Such words are called obsolescent (thou, thee, thy; art, wilt).

 2. words have come out of use. Such words are called obsolete (me thinks = it seems to me; nay = no).

 3. words have dropped out of the language or become unrecognizable.

  Archaic words are sometimes used for satirical purposes – it happens when an archaic word is used in inappropriate context.

D. Barbarisms and Foreignisms

Barbarisms are the words of foreign origin, assimilated into the English language. They have become facts, part and parcel of the English language; they are registed in the dictionaries. Most of them have English synonyms (chic=stylish; bon mot=a witty saying)

  Foreign words do not belong to the English vocabulary. In printed works foreign words are generally italicized to indicate their alien nature or their stylistic value.

 One of the functions of the foreign words is to supply local colour, to depict local conditions of life, concrete facts and events, customs and habits.

 The common function of barbarisms and foreignisms is to build up the stylistic device of represented speech/reported speech of the local people. Sometimes one or two foreign words create an impression of an utterance made in a foreign language. Foreign words may be used to elevate the language, to exalt the expression of the idea: words that we do not quite understand have a peculiar charm.