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Morphological Transposition and Grammatical Metaphor: Points of Intersection
Morphological transposition appears to be a rather well-studied phenomenon in grammar. Transposition in morphology is understood as the transpositional use of a grammatical form in a meaning atypical for it, peculiar to another grammatical form. In this case the figurative grammatical meaning of the form undergoing the transformation is realized only in the context. The transformed form fi nds itself in an atypical environment, its usual combinability with other elements of the syntactic construction is violated.
Along with this, morphological transposition may have a usual character and be of common use. In Russian there are standard models of transposition, for example, the use of the present tense form in the meaning of the past tense form, the imperfective form in the meaning of the perfective form. Such a transfer is not
perceived by a native speaker as vivid, containing expression, conveying the speaker’s emotions.
Morphological transposition at the same time is able to act as a basis for the emergence of grammatical metaphor. Unlike morphological transposition, grammatical metaphor has quite defi nite purposes: it is used by the speaker to create imagery, to express hidden meanings, the author’s intentions. Grammatical
metaphor breaks sharply, as a rule, with the usual models of transposition, it is always perceived by the addressee of the text as something non-standard, not having a usual character. This is an aggressive type of morphological transposition with the help of which the grammatical metaphor is created.
Like any morphological transposition, grammatical metaphor is realized only in context, in an environment atypical for the grammatical form. However, it has a more distinct contextual character than transposition. Grammatical metaphor requires additional means and techniques of actualization of figurative meaning, creation of imagery, expression of hidden meanings. These include repetition of a grammatical form within the context, binary arrangement of forms subject to grammatical metaphorization, collision in one context of a form having a usual character and a form appearing in a fi gurative grammatical meaning.
Along with this, morphological transposition may have a usual character and be of common use. In Russian there are standard models of transposition, for example, the use of the present tense form in the meaning of the past tense form, the imperfective form in the meaning of the perfective form. Such a transfer is not
perceived by a native speaker as vivid, containing expression, conveying the speaker’s emotions.
Morphological transposition at the same time is able to act as a basis for the emergence of grammatical metaphor. Unlike morphological transposition, grammatical metaphor has quite defi nite purposes: it is used by the speaker to create imagery, to express hidden meanings, the author’s intentions. Grammatical
metaphor breaks sharply, as a rule, with the usual models of transposition, it is always perceived by the addressee of the text as something non-standard, not having a usual character. This is an aggressive type of morphological transposition with the help of which the grammatical metaphor is created.
Like any morphological transposition, grammatical metaphor is realized only in context, in an environment atypical for the grammatical form. However, it has a more distinct contextual character than transposition. Grammatical metaphor requires additional means and techniques of actualization of figurative meaning, creation of imagery, expression of hidden meanings. These include repetition of a grammatical form within the context, binary arrangement of forms subject to grammatical metaphorization, collision in one context of a form having a usual character and a form appearing in a fi gurative grammatical meaning.
morphological transposition, grammatical metaphor, differential signs, methods of actualization of grammatical metaphor