1. Stylistic functions of the words having lexico-stylistic paradigm

Lexical expressive means of the language are words which have not only denotative meaning but connotative as well. Depending on the connotative meaning which may be of diverse character, the words possessing this meaning fall into two groups: “high-flown” words traditionally linked with poetic, bookish and written speech and “low-flown” words more often used in oral, colloquial speech. High-flown words are more stable due to the traditions of the written type of speech. Low-flown words undergo constant changes. Stylistic functions of literary high-flown words should be regarded separately.

Poetic diction

Poetic words form lexico-stylistic paradigm. In XVIII – XIX centuries they were widely used in poetry as synonyms to neutral words. In modern poetry such a vocabulary does not practically exist. Terms, common talk, nomenclature words, slangisms are characteristic of the modern poetry.

Poetic words are diverse. They include:

• archaic words (afright – alarm);

• archaic forms (betwix – between);

• historic words (casque – helmet);

• poetic words proper (albion – alien).

Their main function is to mark the text in which they are used as poetic, thus distinguishing it from non-fiction texts. In modern poetry they are seldom used but their stylistic meaning is vivid when they are contrasted to neutral words.

Archaic words

Archaisms are the words a) denoting historical phenomena which are no more in use (“vassal”, “yeoman”, etc. – these are historic words); b) used in poetry in the XVIII – XIX cc. (“steed” for “horse”; “woe” for “sorrow” – these are poetic words); c) in the course of language history some words were ousted by newer synonymic words (“to deem” = to think, “repast” = meal – these are called archaic proper).

The stylistic function of the archaic words is the same as in the case of poetic words – to make the text stylistically marked, distinguishing it from neutral literary speech. The usage of archaic words is sometimes incompatible with modern professional or colloquial words. In this case the usage of archaisms creates humorous or sarcastic effects. We should distinguish between “ageing” – “newness” of the word’sform and “ageing” – “newness” of the denotate and then accordingly we may compare archaic words and historic words on the one hand and lexical and stylistic neologisms – on the other. Lexical neologisms denote new objects: newtron bomb, teach-in, push-button war. Stylistic neologisms denote already existing objects and notions: see-saw – battle, know-how – skill. They are meant to give more expressive names to the old objects or phenomena.

E.g: archaic words: benison – a blessing, bezonian – a raskal, a buss – a kiss;

historic words: buskins – thick-soled boots, astrologer – an expert in art of observing the position of the stars in the belief that they influence human life;

stylistic neologisms: know-how – skill, egg-beater – helicopter;

lexical neologisms: hippy, teach-in, bionics.

Archaic words and stylistic neologisms have lexico-stylistic paradigm and consequently they have stylistic meaning. Historic words and lexical neologisms do not form lexico-stylistic paradigm and thus they have no stylistic meaning. Archaic words may be divided into two main groups:

1. archaic words proper (old word): antic – bizzare, belike – perhaps;

2. archaic forms of the words: annoy instead of annoyance, bide instead of abide.