Lecture 7. Different macrocomponents of meaning in phraseological units

7.1. Denotational macrocomponent.

7.2.Evaluational macrocomponent.

7.3.Motivational macrocomponent.

7.4. Emotive macrocomponent.

7.5.Stylistic macrocomponent

7.6.Grammatical macrocomponent

7.7.Gender macrocomponent

Objectives: to demonstrate various forms of phraseological units.

The semantic structure of phraseological units is formed by semantic ultimate constituents called macrocomponents of meaning.. There are the following principal macrocomponents in the semantic structure of phraseological units:

I. Denotational (descriptive) macrocomponent that contains the information about the objective reality, it is the procedure connected with categorization, i.e. the classification of phenomena of the reality, based on the typical idea about what is denoted by a phraseological unit, i.e. about the denotatum.

2. Evaluational macrocomponent that contains information about the value of what is denoted by a phraseological unit. i.e. what value the speaker sees in this or that object/phenomenon of reality — the denotatum. The rational evaluation may be positive, negative and neutral, e.g. a home from home — 'a place or situation where one feels completely happy and at ease' (positive ), the lion's den — 'a place of great danger' (negative), in the flesh — 'in bodily form' (neutral). Evaluation may depend on empathy (i.e. a viewpoint) of the speaker/ hearer.

3. Motivational macrocomponent that correlates with the notion of the inner form of a phraseological unit, which may be viewed as the motif of transference, the image-forming base, the associative-imaginary complex, etc. The notion 'motivation of a phraseological unit' can be defined as the aptness of 'the literal reading' of a unit to be associated with the denotational and evaluational aspects of meaning. For example, the literal reading of the phraseological unit to have broad shoulders evokes associations connected with physical strength of a person. The idea that broad shoulders are indicative of a person's strength and endurance actualizes becomes the base for transference and forms the following meaning: 'to be able to bear the full weight of one's responsibilities '

. 4. Emotive macrocomponent that is the contents of subjective modality expressing feeling-relation to what is denoted by a phraseological unit within the range of approval/disapproval, e.g. a leading light in something — 'a person who is important in a particular group' (spoken with approval). to lead a cat and dog life — 'used to describe a husband and wife who quarrel furiously with each other most of the time' (spoken with disapproval). Emotiveness is also the result of interpretation of the imaginary base in a cultural aspect.

5. Stylistic macrocomponent that points to the communicative register in which a phraseological unit is used and to the social-role relationships between the participants of communication, e.g. sick at heart — 'very sad' (formal), be sick to death — 'to be angry and bored because something unpleasant has been happening for too long' (informal), pass by on the other side — 'to ignore a person who needs help' (neutral).

6. Grammatical macrocomponent that contains the information about all possible morphological and syntactic changes of a phraseological unit, e.g. to be in deep water = to be in deep waters: to take away smb's breath = to take smb’s breath away: Achilles' heel = the heel of Achilles.

7. Gender macrocomponent that may be expressed explicitly, i.e. determined by the structure and/or semantics of a phraseological unit, and in that case it points out to the class of objects denoted by the phraseological unit: men, women, people (both men and women). For example, compare the phraseological units every Tom. Dick and Harry meaning 'every or any man' and every Tom. Dick and Sheila which denotes 'every or any man and woman'. Gender macrocomponent may be expressed implicitly and then it denotes the initial (or historical) reference of a phraseological unit to the class of objects denoted by it which is as a rule stipulated by the historical development, traditions, stereotypes, cultural realia of the given society, e.g. to wash one's dirty linen in public — 'discuss or argue about one's personal affairs in public'. The implicit presence of the gender macrocomponent in this phraseological unit is conditioned by the idea about traditional women's work. Gender, implicitly as well as explicitly expressed. reveals knowledge about such cultural concepts as masculinity and femininity that are peculiar to this or that society. The implicit gender macrocomponent is defined within the range of three conceptual spheres: masculine, feminine, intergender. Compare, for instance, the implicitly expressed intergender macrocomponent in to feel like royalty meaning 'to feel like a member of the Royal Family, to feel majestic' and its counterparts, i.e. phraseological units with explicitly expressed gender macrocomponent, to feel like a queen and to feel like a king.