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Another structural variety of the epithet expressed by an of-phrase is a reversed
epithet.
e.g.
a devil of sea, a shadow of smile, a devil of a job a dog of a fellow.
Here the subjective, evaluating, emotional element is embodied not in the noun
attribute but in the noun described. It should be noted that epithets, expressed by an «of-
phrase» are metaphorical.
From the point of view of their compositional structure, epithet may be divided
into simple and phrase epithets.
The tendency to cram into one language unit as much information as possible has
led to new compositional models of epithets - phrase epithets.
the never-to-be-forgotten day
the don't-touch-me-or-I-ll-kill-you expression
do-it-yourself, go-it-alone attitude
The stylistic function of the epithet is to reveal the subjective, evaluating attitude of
the writer to the thing or events spoken of.
Irony
Irony is a stylistic device also based on simultaneous realisation of two meanings:
dictionary and contextual, but the two meanings stand in opposition to each other. In
other words it is a stylistic device in which the opposite of what is said is meant.
e.g.
What a happy woman was Rose to be Lady Crawly. Her husband used to
drink every night and beat his Rose sometimes.
/Thackerey/
Irony generally is used to convey a negative meaning, an expression of praise is
used were the blame is meant.
e.g.
How clever it is not to take an umbrella when it is raining hard.
/Jerome K
Jerome/
Irony as a linguistic means must not be confused with irony and humour as a
stylistic effect, produced by different stylistic devices or even by a description of a
funny incident or an odd feature which we laugh at. Irony as a SD is interaction of two
types of meanings in one and the same word. Let's compare:
She jumps as an elephant She jumps gracefully as an elephant
Irony is realised only in the context. The context may be one sentence, two
sentences, several sentences. It may extend as far a paragraph, chapter or even the
whole book.
e.g.
Stoney smiled the sweet smile of an alligator.
Here irony in the word «sweet « is realised within a sentence. In Galsworthy’s
book «The Man of Property» Soames and Irene are called «the happy». In order to
understand this irony we must read the whole book at least a half of the book /. The
main stylistic function of irony is to produce a humorous or satiric effect. And it mostly
appears in the belles-lettres style.
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