Stylistic classification of the english vocabulary

Types of Lexical Meaning

A number of stylistic devices are based on the pecu­liar use of lexical meanings. Therefore it is necessary to define the types of meanings of words which we meet in stylistic devices.

Before we start analyzing different meanings of a word let's see what is a word. According to the definition of scientists "A word is a language sign that expresses a concept by its forms and meanings". By concept we mean an abstract or general idea of some phenomenon of objective reality including the subjective feelings and emotions of human beings.

The meaning of a word is the means by which the concept is materialized. Both lexical and grammatical meanings may be polysemantic. This means that a word may have a number of meanings. The meanings are liable to change.

When there is a connection between different mean­ings, we call them shades of meanings, sometimes se­parate meanings. When the process of breaking away from the basic meaning has gone so far and we don't feel any connection between the meanings, we have different words - homonyms.

The meanings of a word are the only means of materi­alizing a concept in language, though some concepts may be materialized not by means of words but by other signs - by gestures, mimicry, music, painting, sculpture etc.

Impressions which have born by concepts are called imagery.

Imagery is mainly produced by the interplay of diffe­rent meanings.

Among the lexical means we distinguish three types of meanings, which we call logical, emotive and no­minal meanings.