Peculiarities of the Verbalisation of the Concept ENVIRONMENT in “Stern Men” by Elizabeth Gilbert

Abstract

This article examines the peculiarities of verbalisation of the concept ENVIRONMENT in Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel “Stern Men”. The objective of this research is to identify the main lexemes that express the concept of ENVIRONMENT in a literary text. The topicality of the scientific research is due to the need to study the defining characteristics of the conceptual space of contemporary women’s fiction and the ways of its linguistic actualisation. The lexemes used by the writer to refer to household items and spatial orientation reflect the peculiarities of the functioning of the imaginary world. Elizabeth Gilbert tries to build a three-dimensional artistic space filled with objects and things of everyday life that reflect the internal states of the characters and the peculiarities of their worldview. The writer directly appeals to the experience of the readers, who are active participants in the artistic discourse. Therefore, the concept ENVIRONMENT is an important structural element of the conceptual space of contemporary women’s artistic discourse.

In the course of the research, R. Langacker’s domain theory was used, as well as the method of induction, deduction, analysis, synthesis, generalisation, description, content analysis and analysis of dictionary definitions. As a result of the scientific research, the main conceptual domains that profile the concept of ENVIRONMENT in the general context of the novel (Reference fields 1) were identified – ANIMAL, SEA, MARINE, HOUSING, CLOTHING, DEVICE, LOCATION, NORTH AMERICA, WATERWAY, FURNISHINGS, PLANT, ENVIRONMENT, FISHING, MONEY, TRANSPORT, EUROPE, WATER, GOODS, WAY, CITY, LAND і WORLD, and in the detailed one (Reference fields 2) – WATER TRAVEL, ISLAND, AREA, INVERTEBRATE, USA, BUILDING, WAY, CLOTHING, FURNITURE, CONTAINER, MONEY, SEA, LOCATION, WATER, FISH, WARE, WEATHER, GROUND TRAVEL, SCHOOLS, BIRD, WEST EUROPE, FOOTWEAR, WOODY PLANT, CITY, FABRIC, WORLD, DEVICE, LAND, HERB, TOOL, HOUSING, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES і NORTHERN EUROPE. In addition, a number of lexemes that explicate the above-mentioned domains were identified.