Syntactic expressive means and stylistic devices

 

Stylistic value of syntax is not confined only to the length and structure of the sentence, however. Stylistic system of language operates a great number of specially elaborated media – syntactic expressive means and stylistic devices. Syntactic expressive means and stylistic devices are such sentence models, which impart to the sentence additional logical or emotional information and enlarge its stylistic and pragmatic potential. According to the type of the basic syntactic model transformation all syntactic stylistic devices can be subdivided into the following groups:

1. syntactic stylistic devices based on the reduction of sentence model;

2. syntactic stylistic devices based on the extension of sentence model;

3. syntactic stylistic devices based on the change of word order;

4. syntactic stylistic devices based on special types of formal and semantic correlation of syntactic constructions within a text;

5. syntactic stylistic devices based on the transposition of sentence meaning;

 

All syntactic models that belong to the above mentioned groups are considered stylistically marked and are opposed to the neutral syntactic model – a simple declarative sentence (просте розповідне речення), such as The door opened, I want to meet him, Irene made no reply, etc.

 

 

Syntactic stylistic devices based on the reduction of sentence model

Ellipsis

Ellipsis is an intentional omission of the subject, predicate or both principal parts of a sentence in cases when they are semantically redundant. The meaning of the omitted member can be easily restored from the context.

Elliptical sentences cannot be viewed as stylistic device in direct intercourse, in official or scientific oral discourses because in this sphere of communication they are devoid of any additional pragmatic value. In oral speech the phenomenon of ellipsis is rather norm than a special stylistic device. A speaker uses elliptical sentences in order to save needless efforts, to spare time and language means.

Elliptical sentences acquire expressiveness when they are used in emotive prose (or sometimes in poetry) as a means of imitating real colloquial speech, live talk or as a means of exposing character’s emotions:

 

Augustus. Hullo! Who are you?

The clerk. The stuff.

Augustus. You the stuff! What do you mean, man? Where are the others?

The clerk. At the front (B.Show).

It would be a good idea to bring along one of the Doc’s new capsules. Could have gone into a drug store and asked for a glass of water and take one (D. Carter).

Ниє-омліває материне серце. А тут уже й ніч наступає, непроглядна темнота надходить. Марина ні жива ні мертва. Коли чує – щось лізе в хату, ледве лізе...

- Ти, дочко?

- Я, мамо!

- Де ж це ти була так довго? Де барилася?

- Світіть, мамо, світло. Благодать Божа!

- Яка благодать? (Панас Мирний).

Nominative sentences

Nominative (or nominal) sentence is a one-member sentence, which kernel component is expressed by a noun or noun-like element (gerund, numeral). The surface structures of nominative sentences in English and Ukrainian are common – the structural form of nominative sentences can be either extended or expanded. The former consists of two or more nominal components connected both syndetically and asyndetically. Expanded nominal sentence consists of two or more nominal components connected by means of co-ordinate conjunctions:

 

An aching business (J. Galsworthy).

The gloomy dockside and the grey river; the bustle with baggage, and the crowded tender (J. Galsworthy).

Високий ранок, камінь не нагрітий.

Сочистий кущ і поруч синя тінь.

Вузьке від спеки річкове корито.

Уламки скель. Акварилева рінь (Є Маланюк).

The structural and semantic diversity of nominative sentences as well as their position and distribution within a certain context impart rather significant stylistic value to them. A sequence of nominative sentences makes for the dynamic description of the events, depiction of the time of the action, the place, the attendant circumstances, its participants, etc. Or on the contrary, the dissemination of nominative sentences into the context breaks the even flow of narration, highlights the very minute changes in the depicted situation, character’s mood, thoughts, recollections and emotions. A nominative sentence in final position sums up (logically or emotionally) the information of the passage. A single nominal sentence in the initial position introduces the topic of the passage, catches reader’s attention, recalls certain ideas and makes them vivid, shape and specifies the thing, event, phenomenon:

 

He, and the falling light and dying fire, the time-worn room, the solitude, the wasted life, and gloom, were all in fellowship. Ashes, and dust, and ruins (Ch. Dickens).

Батько... ниюча рана. І характер, і мова, і чорний чуб у нього від батька, або, точніше, без батька. У тридцять сьомім чорний ворон забрав батька і повів сибірськими етапами. І нічого-нічого, тільки – син “ворога народу”...

Specific stylistic function is attributed to other structural and semantic types of one-member sentences: imperative, exclamatory, infinitival, vocative and one-word (or quasi) sentences. They are frequently resorted to in poetry and emotive prose as an efficient means of colloquial pastiche (стилізації під розмовне мовлення):

 

Keep aside! Keep aside! Pass on, pass on! (M.R. Anard).

Thieves! Fire! How funny. To think of it! (S. Maugham).

Damn your money (S. Maugham).

To be or not to be? (W. Shakespeare).

“Do you love me?” – “Uh huh” (E. Hemingway).

І Ольга усміхнулась:

- Гаразд.

- Ото народу збереться.

- Еге... (І. Микитенко).

Ні! Їй-богу ж ні (І. Кочерга).

–Чолом, панове!

–Чолом, пане Максиме (П. Панч).