Stylistic aspect of the Queen Elizabeth II Christmas 2020 message (12.25.2020)

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Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University

STYLISTIC ASPECT OF THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHRISTMAS 2020 MESSAGE (12.25.2020)

Humeniuk N.H., Candidate of Philological Sciences,

Associate Professor at the Department of

English Philology and Translation

Annotation

expressive stylistic queen elizabeth

The following work is devoted to the problems of the Expressive means and Stylistic devices usage within the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse, the 25-th of December, 2020. The annual Queen Elisabeth II Christmas message is defined in the given work as the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas discourse with the features of argumentative, declarative and the appealing to act discourses with the pragma-communicative purposes to congratulate the inhabitants of the UK and the Commonwealth realm on the Jesus Christ Birth occasion, to analyze and make conclusions of the year passing over, to draw the plans and guide lines of the forthcoming year. It is pointed out, that traditional in nature Queen Elisabeth II Christmas discourse, which is broadcasted annually, has the unique nature because of the time, place of its occurrence, as well as of its unique content, which is based on the problems of the given discourse, and of the unique form of its organization, which is determined by layout, the usage of decor, music, video and photo materials. It is pointed out that the challenging problems of coronavirus disease, of the national tolerance and Christian morality are mentioned within the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse. It is stressed that a system of the interrelated Expressive means and Stylistic devices is used to provoke addressee's attention to the ideas of the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse by appealing to the feelings and emotions of addressee, by foregrounding of the information important for addressor, by appealing to the addressee's imagination and system of values. It is underlined that the usage of intensifiers, antithesis, metaphors, emphatic sentences, epithets, detachments, comparisons, simile, repetitions serves like ornament of the text of the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse, as well as presents Her Majesty individual style of the language units usage for the purposes of the Christmas 2020 discourse realization. It is pointed out that it is perspective to investigate the other types of Her Majesty discourses with the focus on the Queen Elisabeth II ideostyle.

Key words: stylistic devices, expressive means, discourse, Queen Elizabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse, ideostyle.

Анотація

СТИЛІСТИЧНИЙ АСПЕКТ РІЗДВЯНОГО ПОСЛАННЯ КОРОЛЕВИ ЄЛИЗАВЕТИ ІІ (25.12.2020)

Подана робота присвячена проблемам використання виразних засобів і стилістичних прийомів у різдвяному дискурсі королеви Єлизавети II 25 грудня 2020 р. У роботі щорічне різдвяне послання королеви Єлизавети II визначається як різдвяний дискурс королеви Єлизавети II з ознаками аргументивного, декларативного та дискурсу заклику до дій із прагма-комунікативними намірами привітати мешканців Великої Британії та Співдружності з нагоди народження Ісуса Христа, проаналізувати та зробити висновки року, що минає, окреслити плани й орієнтири на майбутній рік. Слід зазначити, що традиційний за своєю природою різдвяний дискурс королеви Єлизавети II, який транслюється щороку, має унікальну природу через час, місце свого виникнення, а також завдяки своєму унікальному змісту, що окреслюється проблемами цього дискурсу, унікальній формі його організації, яка визначається компонуванням, використанням декору, музики, відео та фотоматеріалів. Вказується, що складні проблеми коронавірусної хвороби, національної толерантності та християнської моралі згадуються у різдвяному дискурсі - 2020 королеви Єлизавети II. Підкреслюється, що система взаємопов'язаних виразних засобів і стилістичних прийомів використовується, щоб привернути увагу адресата до ідей різдвяного дискурсу - 2020 королеви Єлизавети II, апелюючи до почуттів та емоцій адресата, висуваючи на перший план інформацію, важливу для адресанта, звертаючись до уяви адресата та системи цінностей. Підкреслюється, що використання інтенсифікаторів, антитез, метафор, вставних речень, епітетів, відокремлень, порівнянь, зіставлення, повторень служить як орнамент тексту, а також представляє індивідуальний стиль її Величності у використанні мовних одиниць з метою реалізації різдвяного дискурсу - 2020 королеви Єлизавети II. Слід зазначити, що перспективним є дослідження інших типів дискурсу її Величності з акцентом на ідеостилі королеви Єлизавети II.

Ключові слова: стилістичні прийоми, виразні засоби, ідеостиль.

Problem statement

It is known that Expressive means and Stylistic devices are used in any type of discourse, even their absence may be considered stylistically relevant. Normatively, the system of the interrelated Expressive means and Stylistic devices is used within the given discourse to provoke addressee's attention to the ideas given in it by appealing to the feelings, emotions, imagination and values of addressee, by foregrounding of the information important for addressor. In other words, the usage of the Expressive means and Stylistic devices is connected with the achievement of the pragma-communicative purposes of its creator, as well as serves as text ornament of the given discourse and may be regarded as peculiar features of the creator individual style usage within the given discourse.

Literature review

It is known that Christmas is a great holiday in Christian world. Traditionally, heads of Christian states congratulate their citizens with this great event by sending their Christmas messages. Christmas messages of nations' elite are investigated in linguistics from different angles [1-5]. The given work continues a series of research findings [6; 7] dealing with the usage of the interrelated Expressive means and Stylistic devices within the different types of discourse for the realization дискурс, різдвяний дискурс 2020 королеви Єлизавети II, of its creator pragmatic purposes, as well as continues to investigate the usage of the Expressive means and Stylistic devices by Queen Elisabeth II within her discourses [8; 9]. Taken together these approaches make the following work acute and topical.

The aim of the paper is to investigate Expressive means and Stylistic devices used by Queen Elizabeth II during Her Christmas message on the 25-th of December, 2020, with the pragmatic purpose of its creator to congratulate Christians of the UK and Commonwealth realm on the Jesus Christ Birth occasion, to make conclusions of the 2020 year and to make plans of the 2021 year. Realization of this aim is possible by using several methods: pure sampling, method of simple calculation, comparative method, discourse analysis method, method of immediate constituents.

The material of the work

It is known that the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 message was traditionally broadcasted by TV, radio, internet on the 25-th of December, 2020.

Commonly, the annual Queen Elisabeth II Christmas message, being defined in our work as the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas discourse, has the features of the declarative discourse to express Her Majesty's congratulations and wishes for the inhabitants of the UK and the Commonwealth realm on the Jesus Christ Birth occasion, the features of the argumentative discourse to analyze and make conclusions of the passing over year, to draw the plans and guide lines of the forthcoming year and to convince the interlocutor (the inhabitants of the UK and Commonwealth realm) in the correctness of these conclusions and plans, and the features of the appealing to act discourse to act in the way proposed by Queen Elizabeth II.

Traditional in nature, the annual Queen Elisabeth II Christmas discourse receives its unique features by the unique nature of the informative and pragma- communicative components of the given discourse, as well as by the unique form of the discourse organization, taking into account its text organization, defined in our work as lingual organization, as well as taking into account its extra-lingual organization in the form of layout, the usage of music, decor, video and photo materials.

So, the unique nature of the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse and its pragma-communicative purposes realization are possible to fulfil with the help of the usage of the interrelated Stylistic means and Stylistic devices, which taken together as a system, identify the individual style of Queen Elisabeth II language units usage within the given discourse.

The analysis of the given discourse shows that a great number of detachments are used within the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse. Some of them are used initially (1), finally (2) or in the middle of the sentence (3):

1. Every day, we herald the coming of Christmas by turning on the lights [10].

2. Last month, fireworks lit up the sky around Windsor, as Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights, providing joyous moments of hope and unity, despite social distancing [10].

3. We continue to be inspired by the kindness of strangers and draw comfort that, even on the darkest nights, there is hope in the new dawn [10].

The final and initial positions of the detachments are used to attract the addressee's attention to the given information as these positions are strong positions for perceiving information by addressee. The position of the detachment in the middle of the sentences makes it possible to introduce the details of the given information.

The variety of the detachments within the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse differs not only from the point of view of their positions in the sentences, but also this variety is determined by the detachments' functions within the given discourse.

So, some of the detachments are used to expressed the speaker's attitude to the described information:

1. Remarkably, a year that has necessarily kept people apart has in many ways brought us closer [10].

2. Of course, for many, this time of year will be tinged with sadness... [10].

The other detachments are used to identify the time, the place of the described facts, as well as to identify the persons whom this information is relevant.

The usage of the detachments of time in the initial position of sentences makes it possible not only to emphasis the time of information but to arrange the given information chronically, demonstrating the universal character of Christmas holiday, starting in past, through present to future:

1. Every year, we herald the coming of Christmas by turning on the lights [10].

2. Last month, fireworks lit up the sky around Windsor, as Hindus, Sikhs and Jains celebrated Diwali. [10].

3. This year, we celebrated International Nurses ' Day... [10].

4. Today, our front-line services still shine that lamp for us. [10].

The usage of the initial detachments of place is able to make stress on the place of the information occurrence - in the United Kingdom and around the world; Across the Commonwealth:

1. Across the Commonwealth, myfamily and I have been inspired by stories of people volunteering in their communities, helping those in need [10].

2. In the United Kingdom and around the world, people have risen magnificently to the challenges of the year, and I am so proud and moved by this quiet, indomitable spirit [10].

The usage of the detachments of person makes it possible to identify persons whom this information is relevant and important - Christians, many people, Her Majesty:

1. For Christians, Jesus is `the light of the world', but we can't celebrate his birth today in quite the usual way [10].

2. Of course, for many, this time of year will be tinged with sadness: some mourning the loss of those dear to them, and others missing friends and familymembers distanced for safety, when all they'd really want for Christmas is a simple hug or a squeeze of the hand [10].

3. For me, this is a source of enduring hope in difficult and unpredictable times [10].

The great number of detachments are used within the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse for giving the detailed information about the described facts:

1. Good Samaritans have emerged across society showing care and respect for all, regardless of gender, race or background, reminding us that each one of us is special and equal in the eyes of God [10].

2. As with other nursing pioneers like Mary Seacole, Florence Nightingale shone a lamp of hope across the world [10].

This type of detachments may have any position in the sentence within the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse- final, initial, middle.

The same function to detail something is given to the parenthetic sentences within the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse:

1. In November, we commemorated another hero - though nobody knows his name [10].

2. And light does more than create a festive mood - light brings hope [10].

Epithets of the Adjectival and Adverbial types are used within the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse to give some emotional colouring to the described events - to make the atmosphere of Christmas holiday more solemn and elevated (1, 2) and to demonstrate the urgent 2020 problems of coronavirus and national tolerance more vivid and vital (3, 4):

1. And light does more than create a festive mood - light brings hope [10].

2. Last month, fireworks lit up the sky around Windsor, as Hindus, Sikhs and Jains celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights, providing joyous moments of hope and unity-despite social distancing [10].

3. For me, this is a source of enduring hope in difficult and unpredictable times [10]

4. Good Samaritans have emerged across society showing care and respect for all, regardless of gender, race or background, reminding us that each one of us is special and equal in the eyes of God [10].

The usage of the metaphors within the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse makes it possible to influence addressee by provoking his/ her /their images on the describing events, facts and phenomena from the other angles, showing this facts, events and ideas with new properties and features, adding some fresh and unique vision of the described information:

1. For Christians, Jesus is `the light of the world', but we can't celebrate his birth today in quite the usual way [10].

2. As with other nursing pioneers like Mary Seacole, Florence Nightingale shone a lamp of hope across the world [10].

The given above metaphors “Jesus is `the light of the world” and “shone a lamp of hope across the world” make the material of the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse fresh, unique and emotionally coloured.

The usage of comparisons (1) and Simile (2) within the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse makes it possible to compare some phenomena by finding similar properties and features of them:

1. As with other nursing pioneers like Mary Seacole, Florence Nightingale shone a lamp of hope across the world [10].

2. The teachings of Christ have served as my inner light, as has the sense ofpurpose we can find in coming together to worship [10].

So, using comparison “like Mary Seacole, Florence Nightingale” makes it possible to show the role of Florence Nightingale as of nursing pioneer and using Simile “The teachings o f Christ have served as my inner light” make it possible to show the teachings of Christ as an inner spirit of Queen Elizabeth, which makes Her life full of sense.

The Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse is characterized by antithesis usage to show some facts, phenomena, events as opposite or with opposite features:

Remarkably, a year that has necessarily kept people apart has, in many ways, brought us closer [10].

The antithesis within the given above sentence is represented by the opposition “apart - closer” to show the challenging social distancing of the 2020 year as an source for people to become morally and spiritually closer to one another by supporting, helping each other.

The peculiar feature of the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse is the usage of the repetitions of different types to make some ideas stressed, to attract addressee's attention for them.

So, two words “light” and “hope” are the most repeated words within the given discourse. They are mainly repeated at the beginning and at the end of the given discourse as the initial and final positions are rather strong to influence addressee. The other reason of their usage in such positions is structural approach to introduce and to make conclusions of the given discourse. These words are also used in the middle of the given message to etch them in the memory of addressee as key ideas of the given discourse - Jesus is the light of the world, light brings hope, light guides people ahead:

1. Every year we herald the coming of Christmas by turning on the lights. And light does more than create a festive mood - light brings hope. For Christians, Jesus is `the light of the world... [10].

2. Let the light of Christmas - the spirit ofselflessness, love and above all hope - guide us in the times ahead [10].

To make the word “light” more informatively valuable and emotionally coloured Her Majesty uses it within the anadiplosis (or catch repetition), when this word is repeated at the end of the preceding phrase and at the beginning of the new phrase (1) and within the anaphoric repetition when this word is repeated at the beginning of each sentences (2):

1. Every year we herald the coming of Christmas by turning on the lights. And light does more than create a festive mood [10].

2. And light does more than create a festive mood - light brings hop [10].

The usage of the emphatic sentences at the end of the given message makes the final part of the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse with Her Majesty traditional wishes to the inhabitants of the UK and Commonwealth realm for Happy Christmas more expressive:

It is in that spirit that I wish you a very happy Christmas [10].

The expressiveness of given above phrase is stressed and reinforced by the usage of the intensifier “very”.

The usage of personification, when the Bible receives the features of the person to tell about Jesus's birth, used at the end of the given discourse makes the information by Queen Elizabeth vivid and vital:

The Bible tells how a star appeared in the sky, its light guiding the shepherds and wise men to the scene of Jesus's birth [10].

So, all the Stylistic devices and Expressive means used within the Queen Elisabeth II Christmas 2020 discourse with the purpose to attract addressee's attention are able to promote discourse aims realization.