1. August the Most August... Poetics of the Month's Name.
- Abstract
The paper deals with the peculiarities of using the name of August in the poetic discourse. The high connotative background of descriptions is set by the positive characteristics of the month (clear, light, lovely, etc.). This nomination has a living inner form, dating back to the name of the Roman Emperor Augustus. Sphere is represented on one of the Emperor Augustus coins as a symbol of power. So it is an apple that is mentioned in some texts about August. Personification is the most popular poetic means. It is built not only on playing around the name, but also on explication of various associative semes - "the month of stars", "the month of fruits", "the month of hunting" and others. August appears first of all as an "evening" or "night" month, when stars are brightly shining in the sky. Sustainability of metaphors based on actualization of the seme "a number of stars" indicates the poetic formula, transforming in different literary systems: stars as rains, stars as nails, and others. Etymological potential of the name August (the Emperor's month) actualizes the semantic group of monarch and power. Specificity of the month's name creates contexts with diffuse meaning. The high degree of frequency of the month's name in the poetic discourse has determined the appearance of sustained metaphors based on the opposition of month names (August - September, August - October and others), including those which are not successive (August - May): Our August looks as if it is September; August is May for you and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013