Lecture 9 Theme: mudle lexical stylistic devices the plan

Antonomasia. Antonomasia is based on the interplay between logical and nominal meanings of a word. Two meanings of a word must be realized simultaneously. If only one meaning is realized there is no stylistic device. For example: hooligan, boycott. This stylistic device is realized only in the written type of the language because sometimes capital letters are the only signals to denote the presence of the stylistic device.
Antonomasia characterizes a person and indicates the general and the particular: Miss Blue-Eyes, Mr.Scrooge, Mr. Zero are called token or telling names. They give information to the reader about the bearer of the name¹. Antonomasia is intended to point out the leading characteristic feature of a person or event, at the same time pinning this leading feature as a proper name to the person or event concerned.
Antonomasia stands close to epithets. Epithets are used instead of proper names. Many nicknames of historical or public characters are based on antonomasia. For example: The Iron Duke (the first duke of Wellington), The Iron Lady (Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of Great Britain). The author stresses the prominent features of a person and sticks these features to his name: Mr. Sharp, Mr. Backbite, Mr. Zero.
Metonymic antonomasia is based on the relation of contiguity. A product can be named after the inventor, manufacturer or after the place where it is produced. The name of painter, writer, sculptor can be used to denote his work . Wall street- the chief financial center of the USA.
Metaphoric antonomasia is usually considered to be a cliché. For example: What will Mrs. Grundy say- what is conventional; He is a regular Sherlock Holms- may be said about an observant person. Romeo and Juliet, young people who love each other. In Russian and Uzbek literature this device was employed by many classic writers: such names as Korobochka, Sobakevich, Tantiboyvachcha, Zargarov. In Russian and in Karakalpak this stylistic device is also very popular: фамилия гоголевского персонажа Хлестаков получила нарицательное значение-хвастун Геркулесом называют сильного мужчину; В языке закрепилось использование в переносном значений слов –донкихот, донжуан и другие. Часто образное значение придается именам литературных героев –Молчалин, Скалозуб, Манилов, Плюшкин. Подобные и мена используются как выразительное средство образной речи. Мы все глядим в Наполеоны (Пушкин). In Karakalpak: Омирбек лаккы, Фархад хам Ширин, Юсуп хам Зулеиха, Алпамыс, Коблан. In Uzbek: Қовоқ девона, Атала Маҳсум, Тошболта.
Depending on the character of the contextual meaning there are two types of antonomasia:
1) that based on the interaction between the nominal and contextual logical meanings;
2) that based on the interaction between the logical and contextual nominal meanings. To the first group we refer those cases in which a proper noun is used for a common noun: Othello ( a jealous person), Don Juan ( amorous). When O’Henry says: “ Every Caesar has his Brutus” using the names of these two well-known Roman statesmen, he characterizes the relations between his heroes. This type of antonomasia is trite, for the writer repeats the well-known, often-mentioned facts. Through long and consistent usage of a proper noun for a common noun the former may lose its nominal meaning. In the second type of antonomasia the person’s name serves his first characteristics: Dickens names the talkative and boastful adventure from “ The Pickwick Papers” Mr. Jingle , creating the association with the sound produced by a constantly shaking tongue of a bell. Here are some Sheridan’s personages: Mr. Backbite, Mr. Snake, Mr. Carefree.
The use of antonomasia is now not confined to the belles-lettres style. It is often found in publicistic style, that is in magazine and newspaper articles, in essays and also in military language.