Types of epithets. Oxymoron

Epithets are such attributes which describe objects expressively. Assigned features. It is essential to differentiate between logical at­tributes and epithets proper. Logical attributes are objective and non- evaluating: a round table, green meadows, next day, second boy, loud voice,. They have nothing to do «і with stylistics.

Epithets proper are subjective and evaluating, mostly metaphorical. These qualities make epithets expressive: loud ocean, wild wind, glorious sight, irresistible charm, crazy behavior.

Classification. Epithets may be classified on the basis of their semantic and structural properties. Semantically, epithets fall into two groups: epithets associated with the nouns modified and epithets not associated with the nouns modified. Associated epithets point out typical features of the objects which they describe. Such typical features are implied by the meaning of the nouns themselves:

if forest, then - dark; if attention, then - careful; if seas, then - salty; if tears, then - bitter; if sky, then – blue.

Unassociated epithets ascribe such qualities to objects which are not inherent in them. As a result of this, metaphors emerge fresh, unexpected, original and expressive:

voiceless sands, helpless loneliness, thirsty deserts, blank face, mur­derous weather,.

Unassociated epithets may be called "speech epithets" because they are created right in the process of communication.

Associated epithets are mostly language epithets. Their use with cer­tain nouns has become traditional and stable. Thus, they are language-as-a- system elements.

As to their structural composition, epithets are divided into simple, com­pound, phrasal and clausal. Simple epithets are ordinary adjectives: magnificent sight, tremendous pressure, overwhelming occupation.

Compound epithets are expressed by compound adjectives:

mischief-making pupil, curly-headed boy, heart-burning desire.

Phrasal epithets are expressed by word-combinations of quotation type: do-it-yourself command, go-to-devil request, head-to-toe beauty.

Clausal epithets are expressed by sentences:

l-don't-want-to-do-it feeling. 1-did-it-mvself statement, чутка "одна баба сказала".

Oxymoron

This figure of contrast is a combination of words which are semantically incompatible. As a result, the object under description obtains char­acteristics contrary to its nature: hot snow, loving hate, horribly beautiful, nice blackguard.

Classification. The main structural pattern of oxymoron is "adjective + noun" (hot snow). The second productive model is "adverb + adjective" (pleasantly ugly). Predicative relations are also possible (Sofia's beauty is horrible). Besides that, oxymoron may occasionally be realized through free syntactic patterns, such as up the down staircase.

Communicative function. Oxymoron has great expressive potential. It is normally used in cases when there is a necessity to point out contradictory and complicated nature of the object under description.