“Godfather” – Interdiscursive Actualization of “Infant Baptism” Space of Nomination

Abstract.

“GODFATHER” – INTERDISCURSIVE ACTUALIZATION OF “INFANT BAPTISM” SPACE OF NOMINATION

Olga Dunayevska

Conversational English Department, Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University, Volyn Region, Ukraine

Available 1 December 2014.

Abstract

Relevance

Modern linguistics development is influenced greatly by correlation of three separate phenomena: anthropocentrism, cross-disciplinarity and functionalism that together support the idea of cognitive-discursive paradigm. The implied bridging between cognition and communication studies gives the hint for the scientist to involve the new spheres and broaden the horizon of their investigations.

Purpose

The purpose of analysis is to treat the “The Infant Baptism” space of nomination as one that is not strictly limited to the religious discourse scope.

Tasks

The purpose presupposes the coverage of the following tasks: 1) to outline basic discursive qualities of the mentioned space of nomination; 2) to shed light on issue of potential manifestation of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination constituents; 3) to clarify the specific origin of the chosen constituent; 4) to collate the data obtained in terms of their influence on the general image of typical situation of Infant Baptism; 5) to detect the possible edges of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination.

Conclusion

The study offers the possible ways of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination expanding. Interdiscursive identificator “godfather” serves as the tool for such process. Every actualized meaning of interdiscoursive identificator “godfather” bridges the certain area of religious discourse with the other discourses enclosing the mentioned identificator.

Perspective

The issue of interdiscursive study of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination constituents raises the agenda of manufacturing the structure and detecting possible ways of such dynamic processes with possible implying the obtained data in development of thesaurus dictionaries.

Research highlights

► The interdiscursive actualization of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination is analyzed through its constituent that is the lexical unit “godfather”. ► It appears to be one of those directly addressing “Infant Baptism” space of nomination thus it performs the function of interdiscursive identificator. ► The article highlights the basic ways the “Infant Baptism” space ofnomination manifests itself in different types of discourse. ► Later resembles the projection created by the meanings the “godfather” interdiscursive identificator can be used in.

Keywords: space of nomination, typical situation, religious discourse, “Infant Baptism”, godfather, interdiscursivity, identificator.

References

Alefirenko, N.F. (2004). Teoriya yazyka. M: Akademiya.

Bocharnikova, E.A. (2011). Interdiskursivnoe vzaimodejstvie kak osnova formirovaniya i predstavleniya special'nyx znanij. Gumanitarnye nauki, Vestnik AGTU, 2 (52), 121-128.

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Slyshkin, G.G. (2000). Diskurs i koncept (o lingvokul'turnom podxode k izucheniyu diskursa). Yazykovaya lichnost': institucionnyj i personal'nyj diskurs: Sb. nauch. tr., Volgograd, 38-45.

Fillips, L. & Jorgensen M. (2004). Diskurs-analiz. Teoriya i metod. X.: Gumanitarnyj centr.

Fuko, M. (1996). Arheologiya znaniya. K.: Nika-Centr, 28-39.

Shevchenko, I.S. (2009). Mishel' Fuko i dyskursyvna paradyhma v linhvistytsi. Visnyk Kyyivs'k. nats. linhv. un-tu., 1, 12, 44-49.

Jianguo, WU. (2011). Understanding Interdiscursivity: A pragmatic Mode. Journal of Cambridge Studies, Cambridge, 2-3, 6, 95-115.

Correspodence: dunayevsk@ukr.net

Vitae

Olga V. Dunayevska is a Post-Graduate Student in Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University, Volyn Region, Ukraine; a teacher of English and German in Bohomolets National Medical University. Her areas of research interests include cognitive linguistics, functional linguistics, cognitive semantics, and text linguistics.

Article.

Olga Dunayevska

УДК 811.111’42

“GODFATHER” – INTERDISCURSIVE ACTUALIZATION OF “INFANT BAPTISM” SPACE OF NOMINATION

The interdiscursive actualization of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination is analyzed through its constituent that is the lexical unit “godfather”. It appears to be one of those directly addressing “Infant Baptism” space of nomination thus it performs the function of interdiscursive identificator. The article highlights the basic ways the “Infant Baptism” space of nomination manifests itself in different types of discourse. Later resembles the projection created by the meanings the “godfather” interdiscursive identificator can be used in.

Keywords: space of nomination, typical situation, religious discourse, “Infant Baptism”, godfather, interdiscursivity, identificator.

Modern linguistics development is influenced greatly by correlation of three separate phenomena: anthropocentrism, cross-disciplinarity and functionalism that together support the idea of cognitive-discursive paradigm. Among those who tried to implicate the merging of discursive and cognitive studies were: E. Benveniste, G. Pocheptsov, I. Shevchenko, E. Kubryakova, N. Fairclough, D. Schiffrin and others. The agenda of cognitive-discursive paradigm implies the bridging between cognition and communication studies that presupposes the vast methodological mixture of cognitive linguistics, pragmatics and other allied disciplines [Шевченко 2005: 20]. Furthermore, it gives the hint for the scientist to involve the new spheres and broaden the horizon of their investigations.

The main aim of our investigation is treating the “The Infant Baptism” space of nomination as one that is not limited to the religious discourse scope. This presupposes the coverage of the following tasks: 1) to outline basic discursive qualities of the mentioned space of nomination; 2) to shed light on issue of potential manifestation of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination constituents; 3) to cover the specific origin of the chosen constituent; 4) to clarify the data obtained in terms of their influence on the general image of typical situation (TS) of Infant Baptism; 5) to detect the possible edges of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination.

Particularly, our work being regarded from the viewpoint of cognitive-discursive paradigm tends to discover the presumable domains offered by different types of discourse. Regarding the definitions reinforced by N. Alefirenko and G. Slyshkin discourse is influenced greatly by social and some other extralinguistic factors (value system, knowledge about the world etc.) [Алефиренко 2006: 6; Слышкин 2000]. It is suggested by V. Karasik that there can primarily be differentiated two types of discourse: personal and institutional. The examples of institutional discourses are religious, political, scientific, media and other discourses [Карасик 2000: 5-8]. Conventionally, religious discourse is related to the church as its main institution. Primarily “Infant Baptism” space of nomination refers to the domain of religious discourse.

One of the peculiarities of the cognitive-discursive paradigm is blurring of the edges of core/periphery structure [Шевченко 2009: 47-49], comodification, application of power asymmetries, influence of the technologies [Jianguo 2011: 100-101]. All mentioned contributes to the development of discourses mixture commonly referred to as interdiscursivity. Interdiscursive studies are related to the co-existence of different discourse types in one communicative event [Филлипс, Йоргенсен 2000]. The latter took the central position of works released by M. Pèchè, P. Serio, M. Fuko who asserted that only after being immersed into interdiscursivity the discourse takes its shape [Фуко 1996]. Applying the notion of interdiscursivity to the “Infant Baptism” space of nomination one should figure out the range of the elements that will be signified as interdiscursive actualizators (elements). Among those of interdiscursive elements is lexis primarily common to curtain type of discourse [Бочарникова 2011: 122-123]. Actually explicit interdiscursivity can be inspected from the prospective of the other discourse elements present in the discourse fragments [Ротанова 2007: 10-13] actually in form of nominative units performing the function of interdiscursive identificators.

The lexical unit godfather is one of several chosen to serve as interdiscoursive identificators of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination. This means that nominative unit godfather refers to those elements that directly appeal to “Infant Baptism” space of nomination.

The range of different types of discourse was inspected for and among them: fiction discourse (FD), non-fiction discourse (N-FD), every day discourse (EDD), military discourse (MiD), sports discourse (SD), medical discourse (MeD), music discourse (MuD), discourse of management (DM), discourse of banking and finance (DB / F ), cinema discourse (CD). As the result, various meanings of interdiscoursive identificator “godfather” were actualized. Trusted friend: “… thebest part of it is the concluding letter from a godfather to his godson, a sensible straightforward talk …” (MeD)^[1]; “She'llfind a way", her godfather said, with perfect confidence…” (FD)^[2]. The examples from medical and fiction discourse illustrate the specifically warm relationships between the godfather and his godchild. Helping person: “With the help of hisgodfather Elkanah Settle, the ‘city poet’, John was sent to a school in Hampstead” (FD)^[3]; “… he is not their godfather, nor their elder counsellor and trusted friend as the family physician is” (MeD)^[4]; The fragments under investigation demonstrate the figure of godfather to be ready to give a helpful hand to his godchild; saving person or patron. Saving person: “… as midwife help to bring the independent state of Vietnam into existence; and, as godfather, protect and support it in a cruel world” (MiD)^[5]; “… that Geoffrey Boycott has already emerged as a sort of godfather figure, willing to be called on to help at any time…” (SD)^[6]. The preceding examples convey the meaning of godfather as person who is always willing to save his godchild. Person, occupying the definite status: “… I only have so much godfather rank” (FD)^[7]; “ … he never used his given name, adopting instead the first name of his godfather” (MeD)^[8]. The extracts point to the meaning of godfather as a person whom the godchild has to pay much attention and respect to, furthermore, there the perfect illustration of how the analyzed nominative unit explicates the meaning of a person with the certain status. Presentprovider: “Others present included the bride's godfather Mr. Michael Macleod …” (EDD)^[9]; “…Are godfathers and godmothers now mere providers of treats and presents?” (EDD)^[10]. The examples demonstrate the prevailing meaning of godfather as a person whose primary function is giving presents that indicates a curtain type of shift from the sphere of religion. Founder / inventor: “... genius behind General Dynamics and the godfather of a worldwide golfing jamboree thatcould, handled properly, go places” (SD)^[11]; “The true ‘Godfather’ of the music business is the public themselves” (DF/B)^[12]; “… those parties argue who would wish to see TECs as the regulators of training and as the godfather of the careers service” (DM)^[13]; “Like his protege Derrick May, ‘Magic’ Juan Atkins — the man commonly referred to as the ‘Godfather Of Techno’ …” (MuD)^[14]; “The maverick chemist known as the godfather of Ecstasy for his role in developing the party drug…” (EDD)^[15]. Supervisor: “… the importance of records cannot be overemphasized, not only to fulfill therequirements of some "godfather" organizations that are gradually taking control of medicine but also for the sake ofproper medicine and proper follow-up study” (MeD)^[16]. The range of examples renders the meaning of godfather that is considered to be completely different from those offered by religious discourse scope.

Among all the possible meanings conveyed by the interdiscursive identificator godfather special attention is paid to some that is typically used with negative connotation. Possibly it was influenced by the international success of the Hollywood movie “The Godfather”, the main character of which is believed to be cruel and to some extent his figure can be opposed to that of godfather in Anglican Church. Consequently, the latter meaning of godfather entered different types of British discourse. The issue is illustrated by the following examples: “People come to me sometimes,’ I continue, speakingquietly, with just the trace of an American-Italian accent – that shambling mumble that Marlon Brando used in theGodfather” (N-FD)^[17]. This case of actualization of “godfather” interdiscursive identificator is presumably closely connected with some modification in linguacultural godfather image especially with defining the certain meanings revealing the negative, cruel and maphia-relating sort of character.

All the revealed meanings of interdiscursive identificator “godfather” serve as the bases for interdiscursive representation of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination, blurring the edges previously created by the religious discourse. The process of mentioned interdicursive identificatos’ spreading presupposes the new foci formation within the different discourse domains.

To conclude, interdiscursive study offers the possible ways of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination broadening. Interdiscursive identificator “godfather” serves as the tool for such process. Every actualized meaning of interdiscoursive identificator “godfather” bridges the certain area of religious discourse with the other discourses enclosing the mentioned identificator. Also, interdiscursive study of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination enables to extend the range of usual terms identifying the TS of Infant baptism in general and its agents in particular.

The issue of interdiscursive study of “Infant Baptism” space of nomination constituents raises the agenda of manufacturing the structure and detecting possible ways of such dynamic processes with implying the obtained data in development of thesaurus dictionaries

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У цій роботі пропонується дослідження інтердискурсивної актуалізації номінативного простору “Хрещення дитини” на прикладі найяскравішого представника зазначеного простору – лексеми “godfather”. Остання є однією із таких, котрі безпосередньо апелюють до номінативного простору “Хрещення дитини” і виконує функцію інтердискурсивного ідентифікатора. У статті висвітлені основні шляхи маніфестації номінативного простору “Хрещення дитини” у різних типах дискурсу, що утворює певну проекцію актуалізованих значень зазначеного інтердискурсивного ідентифікатора.

Ключові слова: номінативний простір, типова ситуація, релігійний дискурс, Хрещення дитини, хрещений батько, інтердискурсивність, ідентифікатор.

Available 1 December 2014.