MEANS OF EXPRESSION IN PROVERBS
Tyurina J.V.
Vladimir State University named after Alexander and Nickolay Stoletovs
Vladimir, Russia
ВЫРАЗИТЕЛЬНЫЕ СРЕДСТВА В ПОСЛОВИЦАХ
Тюрина Ю.В.
Владимирский государственный университет имени Александра Григорьевича и
Николая Григорьевича Столетовых
Владимир, Россия
Syntactic features of proverbs are supported by lexical and euphonic means of
expression. The imagery basis of proverbs was formed over the centuries. F.I. Buslaev
commented this fact very accurately: 'The proverb was created by the mutual forces of
sounds and ideas' [Буслаев 1861: 132]. Proverbs is 'a kind of offshoots of the formula
of folk observations and reflections' [Соколов 1941: 490]. Despite all the differences
of formation in most cases proverbs are characterized by conciseness, expressed in the
most clear and precise manner, through which 'it should be close for words, but
spacious for thoughts' as Alexander V. Kunin puts it [Кунин 1996: 350]. The broad
use of the conciseness is explained by formation of a large number of elliptic proverbs
[Fedulenkova 2003:11]. The broad use of lexical and euphonic means in proverbs is
the way to express the national-cultural specificity [Fedulenkova 1997:69]. It allows
conveying brightness of its means. The main lexical imagery means are repetitions and
matchings.
Repetition.
The function of repetition is amplification. Repetition of lexemes is not usually
used one by one. There are various forms of repetition.
1.
Repetition of the lexeme coming first. Auxiliary parts of speech as well as
major parts of speech can be repeated: first come, first served (short for phrase he who
is first come is first served) – первого первым и обслуживают; handsome is as
handsome does – по-настоящему красив лишь тот, кто красиво поступает (ср. о
человеке судят не по словам, а по делам); nothing venture, nothing have – без
риска нет победы; волков
бояться – в лес не ходить (ср. риск – благородное
дело) etc.
Circular repetition may be mentioned here: diamond cut diamond – нашла коса
на камень.
2.
Repetition of the lexeme coming second: he laughs best who laughs last
– смеется хорошо тот, кто смеется последним; let bygones be bygones – что было,
то прошло; кто старое помянет, тому глаз вон; one man's meat is another man's
poison – что полезно одному, то вредно другому.
3.
Repetition of the lexeme coming third. This kind of repetition is rare.
Auxiliary parts of speech as well as major parts of speech can be repeated: he that
serves God for money, will serve the devil for better wages – тот, кто служит богу за
деньги, будет служить и дьяволу, если дьявол заплатит больше; what is sauce for
the goose is sauce for the gander – мерка, применяемая к одному, должна
применяться к другому.
4.
Repetition of the lexeme coming fourth. This kind of repetition is very
rare: if two men ride on a horse, one must ride behind – когда двое едут на одной
лошади, то одному всегда приходится сидеть позади («Много шума из ничего»).
5.
Repetition of two lexemes. This kind of repetition is also rare: so many
men so many minds – сколько голов, столько умов.
Repetition of two initial auxiliary parts of speech is possible: out of sight, out of
mind – с глаз долой, из сердца вон. Three auxiliary parts of speech are repeated in
proverb: in for a penny, in for a pound (отдал пенни, придется отдать и фунт; ср.
взялся за гуж, не говори, что не дюж).
6.
Multiple repetition. This kind of repetition is extremely rare and has a
joking character: don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you – не буди лиха, пока
лихо спит. Joking nature of proverb is enhanced by unusual appearance of repetition,
namely repetition of lexemes standing together.
Matching
It can be divided into two groups.
1.
Antonymous matching, i.e. matching of lexemes that are antonyms
outside of the proverb: he that is full of himself is very empty – тот пуст, кто полон
сам собой; small rain lays great dust – мелкий дождик прибивает густую пыль;
мал золотник, да дорог; who has never tasted bitter, knows not what is sweet – не
отведав горького, не узнать и сладкого etc.
Antonymous matching is widely used in comparative proverbs: a living dog is
better than a dead lion (bibl.) – живая собака лучше мертвого льва; better to reign
in hell than to serve in heaven – 'лучше править в аду, чем прислуживать в раю'
(Дж. Мильтон).
In the last proverb antonymous matching of lexemes is used: reign in hell и serve
in heaven.
Combination of repetition and antonymous matching is possible in proverbs: he
that never climbed, never fell – не познавши взлетов, не узнаешь и падений; не
ошибается тот, кто ничего не делает.
2.
Matching combinations of lexemes that are not antonyms outside the
proverb: a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush – не сули журавля в небе, а дай
синицу в руки.
Such matching is found in comparative proverbs: better an egg today than a hen
tomorrow – лучше яйцо сегодня, чем курица завтра; не сули журавля в небе, а дай
синицу в руки; half a loaf is better than no bread – полкаравая лучше, чем совсем
без хлеба; лучше синица в руки, чем журавль в небе.
Means of expression in proverbs are typologically relevant [Федуленкова
2005:74]. Besides they play a special role in discourse [Fedulenkova 2001:15].
There are some other means of expression in proverbs which is going to be
discussed in my following paper.
References
1. Буслаев Ф.И. Исторические очерки русской народной словесности и
искусства. - СПб, 1861. – Т. I.
2. Кунин А.В. Курс фразеологии современного английского языка. – М.:
Высшая школа, 1996. – 381 с.
3. Соколов Ю.М. Русский фольклор. – М.. 1941.
4. Федуленкова Т.Н. Фразеология и типология: к типологической
релевантности фразеологии // Филологические науки. – М., 2005. – № 1. –
С. 74-80.
5. Fedulenkova T. Discourse value of biblical proverbial idioms in English //
Textual Secrets: The Message of the Medium: Book of Abstracts of 21st
PALA Conference. – Budapest: British Council, 2001. – P. 15.
6. Fedulenkova T. Idioms as an Effective Means in Intercultural Approach //
Approaches to Teaching English in an Intercultural Context / Meta Grosman
(ed.). – Ljubljana: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, 1997. – P. 67-74.
7. Fedulenkova T. A new approach to the clipping of communicative
phraseological units // Ranam: European Society for the Study of English:
ESSE 6 – Strasbourg 2002 / Ed. P. Frath & M. Rissanen. – Strasbourg:
Université Marc Bloch, 2003. – Vol. 36. – P. 11-22.