Speech embodiment of the English concept genius

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Odessa National I.I. Mechnikov University

SPEECH EMBODIMENT OF THE ENGLISH CONCEPT GENIUS

Strochenko L.V. Candidate of

philological sciences, associate professor

Summary

concept genius english speech

The article is dedicated to the investigation of the peculiarities of verbalization of the concept GENIUS in the English speech. The research presents main aspects of the study of the phenomenon of genius in philosophy and psychology. The research singles out conceptual features of the analyzed concept in the popu- larscience biographies and in articles from National Geographic. These sources represent two variants of the English picture of the world, namely, naпve and scientific. The following conceptual features have been singled out: exclusivity, extraordinariness, intellectual abilities, creative abilities, achievements which were proved, demonstrated, deep knowledge of a certain sphere, mastery, independence, endurance, inspiration, fervor, work, originality, young age, force, socio-cultural influence.

Key words: verbalization, concept, conceptual feature, picture of the world, genius.

Introduction

Cognitive linguistics grew out of the work of a number of researchers active in the 1970s who were interested in the relation of language and mind, and who did not follow the prevailing tendency to explain linguistic patterns by means of appeals to structural properties internal to and specific to language. At the present stage of its development, cognitive linguistics has a great deal of works devoted to the study of related concepts, in particular, BRAIN, INTELLECT [1]. However, the phenomenon of genius as the highest manifestation of intellectual or creative activity of a person - who is called a genius - has remained beyond the attention of linguists which adds to the relevance of this study.

Among main trends in the study of the phenomenon of genius are: irrational approach, which emphasizes the divine nature of genius and is closely related to archaic and religious ideas; rational approach, within which genius is seen as the innate quality of a person, which makes it possible to clarify genius as a property of the human mind and to study it in different directions in psychology and genetics, as well as to determine biological (instincts, memory, genetic heredity, innate abilities to creativity) and psychological (fantasy, imagination, inspiration, spontaneity) factors of genius; empirical approach, according to which genius is the acquired property of a person in the process of his/her development; socio-cultural approach, which considers the significance and, at the same time, problematic interaction of a genius and society.

The aim of the present paper is to study the means of embodiment of concept GENIUS in the English speech. The theoretical premises of the work are the basics of semantic-cognitive approach to the study of concepts. According to Z.D. Popova and J.S. Sternin, representatives of the semantic-cognitive approach, concept is a basic unit of human mental code, which has an internal structure consisting of conceptual features; it is the result of the individual and social cognizing of the world. Conceptual features contain comprehensive information about the corresponding object or phenomenon, as well as the interpretation of information of public consciousness and the treatment of the subject or phenomenon [3]. Thus, representatives of this trend treat language as one of the main tools of cognition and conceptualization of the world. To examine a concept through the language is the most reliable way of linguistic analysis which allows to detect its conceptual features and to work out the model of the concept. The structure of a concept is manifested through dictionary definitions of the corresponding lexical units (the name of the concept and its synonyms) and through speech contexts. The linguistic embodiment of the concept under study is being considered on the basis of English explanatory dictionaries, specialized encyclopedias, biographies and publicist texts.

Results and discussion

Verbalization of the concept under study in the English speech has been analyzed on the material of biographies and publicist texts. In modern linguistics, several types of biographies are distinguished, among which are academic, artistic, documentary and popular scientific [2, p.142]. The given study focuses on the popular scientific biographies of such generally recognized geniuses as Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The target audience of these publications is the average naпve native speaker, so the analysis of their linguistic peculiarities will enable singling out conceptual features of the concept GENIUS in the English naive picture of the world.

The investigated popular scientific biographies foreground, first of all, the conceptual feature prominence / extraordinariness. The corresponding examples can be found in the first lines of the analyzed biographies:

“Isaac Newton (January 4, 1643 to March 31, 1727) was a physicist and mathematician who developed the principles of modern physics, including the laws ofmotion, and is credited as one of the great minds of the 17th century Scientific Revolution''; “And because other Newton scholars have defaulted on the task of evaluating Newton's motives, such “suggestions” have stood unchallenged and unrefuted to this day-- coloring the legacy and tainting the name of one of history's greatest scientists” [6].

His work is graded as the most influential in the sphere of physics and in science in general: “It is said to be the single most influential book on physics and possibly all of science. Its publication immediately raised Newton to international prominence' [6].

His contemporaries called his abilities extraordinary, and the scientist himself - the most prominent genius in the history of mankind: “In August 1669, Barrow identified its author to Collins as "Mr. Newton... very young... but of an extraordinary genius and proficiency in these things”; “Isaac Newton's fame grew even more after his death, as many of his contemporaries proclaimed him the greatest genius who ever lived' [6].

In the biographies of Leonardo da Vinci the given feature is verbalized with the help of such lexical units as leading, great:

“Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519) is one of the world's greatest thinkers, artists and philosophers”; “Leonardo da Vinci was a leading artist and intellectual of the Italian Renaissance who's known for his enduring works "The Last Supper" and "Mona Lisa. "” [7].

An interesting, however, unreliable fact of his biography is the reaction of his teacher, the artist Verrocchio, to the abilities of the student. He was so impressed with the works of da Vinci, that he gave up painting: “According to “Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects”, written around 1550 by artist Giorgio Vasari, Verrocchio was so humbled by the superior talent of his pupil that he never picked up a paintbrush again' [7].

This context also verbalizes the feature of extraordinary creativity. The next conceptual feature, which is verbalized in these biographies, is intellectual ability. For example, Newton's uncle insisted on his entering the university, understanding his innate mental abilities: “Perhaps sensing the young man's innate intellectual abilities, his uncle, a graduate of the University of Cambridge's Trinity College, persuaded Newton's mother to have him enter the university” [6].

The lexical unit leading in this fragment also underlines his extraordinary intellect:

“It also cemented his position as one of the leading minds of his age” [6].

The conceptual feature intellect can be also verbalized with the help of nominative units inventive, curious, keen:

“ Using his inventive mind, da Vinci sketched war machines such as a war chariot with scythe blades mounted on the sides, an armored tank propelled by two men cranking a shaft and even an enormous crossbow that required a small army of men to operate”; “Possessor of a curious mind and keen intellect, da Vinci studied the laws of science and nature, which greatly informed his work as a painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, military engineer and draftsman” [7].

As for the biography of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, they are characteristic of the widespread use of the nominative unit prodigy and its derivative prodigious:

” The composer." Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) led a life that was dramatic in many respects, including his career as a child prodigy, his struggle to achieve personal independence and establish a career, his brushes with financial disaster, and his death in the course of trying to complete his Requiem ”; ” Born in In Salzburg, he showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before the European royalty ” [8].

In addition, the age in which he achieved success is strongly emphasized:” Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was eight years old ” [8].

Thus, the conceptual feature age of the investigated concept is foregrounded by such lexical units as the earliest childhood, the age of five, eight years old.

The extraordinary talent of Mozart is emphasized, in particular, in the memoirs of his sister who wrote that their father began teaching little Amadeus to play as an entertainment, but the boy showed unusual abilities:

” In the fourth year of his age, his father, for a game, as it was, began to teach him a few minutes and pieces at the clavier.... He could play it faultlessly and with the greatest delicacy, and keeping exactly in time.... At the age offive, he was already composing small pieces, which he played to his father who wrote them down ” [8].

The feature of extraordinary giftedness is also emphasized by the fact that the little boy became a composer before he could write down his own compositions, and his father was doing it for him for some time. Mozart's success became such a big surprise to his father and teacher at the same time that he even ceased to write music himself:

” In his early years, Wolfgang's father was his only teacher. There is evidence that Mozart was keen on progress beyond what he was taught. It came as a surprise to Leopold, who eventually gave up composing when his son's musical talent became evident” [8].

A similar example of hyperbolized actualization of the conceptual feature of extraordinary creative abilities is registered in the investigated biography of Leonardo da Vinci.

The conceptual feature originality can also be singled out on the material of the studied biographies:

“Sometimes called the father of modern science, Isaac Newton revolutionized our understanding of our world"; “Long before his breakthrough workPhiloso- phiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica was published, Newton was considered one of England's leading thinkers" [6].

Another interesting fact is that Albert Einstein believed that Isaac Newton was ahead of his time, which also foregrounds novelty as a conceptual feature of the concept under study:

“Einstein credited Isaac Newton, the father of physics and arguably the founder of scientific certainty, with “the greatest advance in thought that a single individual was ever privileged to make. ” The compliment is not hyperbole: In his Principia and the discoveries that preceded it, Newton single-handedly deciphered more of the universe's enigmas than perhaps any other scientist in history. He revolutionized mathematics, integrated the previously disparate fields of mechanics and astronomy, and thus opened the door to the science of force and motion as we know it" [5].

The biography of Leonardo da Vinci also underlines that he was ahead of his time and even prophesized the future:

“A man ahead of his time, da Vinci appeared to prophesize the future with his sketches of machines resembling a bicycle, helicopter and a flying machine based on the physiology of a bat"; “In several different fields, from science to astronomy, he proved to be both innovative and several centuries ahead of his contemporaries” [7].

The conceptual feature of originality is often verbalized by the lexical unit pioneer, which foregrounds the fact that da Vinci was the first to use certain techniques in painting etc:

“His painting of the “Virgin of the Rocks, ” begun in 1483, demonstrated his pioneering use of chiaroscuro - a stark contrast between darkness and light that gave a three-dimensionality to his figures and sfumato - a technique in which subtle gradations, rather than strict borders, infuse paintings with a softer, smoky aura”; “He also pioneered the use of Chiaroscuro” [7].

Lexical unit invent also foregrounds the conceptual feature of novelty: “He 'invented' the bicycle, airplane, helicopter, and parachute some 500 years ahead of their time”.

The wide range of interests and trends of da Vinci's works is underlined with the help of hyperbole in the following fragment: “There seemed to be no limit in the scope of his interest and work” [7].

The artist's works are considered valuable as a part of human culture:

“Today, the "Mona Lisa " hangs in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, secured behind bulletproof glass and regarded as a priceless national treasure seen by millions of visitors each year” [7].

Thus, the following conceptual features of GENIUS have been singled out in the naпve picture of the world (on the material of the analyzed biographies): extraordinariness (greatest, extraordinary), intellect (innate intellectual abilities, leading mind), creative abilities (keen on progress beyond what he was taught), age (early childhood), originality (breakthrough, advance in thought), value of the results of his work (priceless treasure).

The scientific picture of the world is represented in our investigation by the articles in National Geographic, the official magazine of the National Geographic Society which focuses on geography, world history, culture etc.

Informative and appealing functions of publicist functional style found their reflection in the headlines of the studied articles, for example, What makes a genius?, What made Leonardo da Vinci a genius? Can you name these 13 geniuses?, Do you have the traits of a genius?. Interrogative form of the headlines intensifies attracting of the readers' attention.

First of all, the conceptual feature extraordinariness is verbalized here with the help of such lexical units as exceptional, rare, soar above the rest of us, stood out:

“Some minds are so exceptional they change the world. We don't know exactly why these people soar above the rest of us, but science offers us clues'' “Throughout history rare individuals have stood outfor their meteoric contributions to a field" [4].

The next conceptual feature - novelty, originality - is verbalized here with the help of lexical units revolutionized, changing the world, scientific breakthroughs:

“Einstein revolutionized our understanding of the very laws of the universe”; “Instead we can try to understand it by unraveling the complex and tangled qualities - intelligence, creativity, perseverance, and simple good fortune, to name a few - that entwine to create a person capable of changing the world”; “Scientific breakthroughs like Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection would be impossible without creativity, a strand of genius that Terman couldn 't measure” [4].

Besides, these fragments mention other features of GENIUS - intellect, creativity, perseverance.

An interesting explanation of the nature of GENIUS is offered in the following excerpt, according to which the phenomenon of genius is closely connected with the diversity of a person's interests: “In all those books, I've noticed that creativity comes from connecting art to science. To be really creative, you have to be interested in all sorts of different disciplines rather than be a specialist. Being curious about everything and curious just for curiosity's sake, not simply because it's useful, is the defining trait of Leonardo”. Such conceptual features as creativity and curiosity can be singled out in the given fragment.

But to become a genius it is necessary to realize one's potential which feature is verbalized by the lexical units: achievement, contributions:

“But monumental intelligence on its own is no guarantee of monumental achievement, as Terman and his collaborators would discover". “Throughout history rare individuals have stood out for their meteoric contributions to a field" [4].

The irrational approach to the nature of genius is reflected in the following conceptual feature, namely: the unknown power, as in the case of a well-known jazz pianist who cannot explain his emotional and psychological state during the performance:

“This may help explain the astounding performances of jazz pianist Keith Jarrett. Jarrett, who improvises concerts that last for as long as two hours, fnds it difficult--impossible, actually--to explain how his music takes shape. But when he sits down in front of audiences, he purposefully pushes notes out of his mind, moving his hands to keys he had no intention of playing. “I'm bypassing the brain completely, ” he tells me. “I am being pulled by a force that I can only be thankful for” [4].

The importance of socio-cultural component in the development of a genius is foregrounded in the following context with the help of lexical units: nurture, social and cultural influences:

“Genetic potential alone does not predict actual accomplishment. It also takes nurture to grow a genius. Social and cultural influences can provide that nourishment, creating clusters of genius at moments and places in history: Baghdad during Islam's Golden Age, Kol- kata during the Bengal Renaissance, Silicon Valley today” [4].

Thus, the analysis of the publicist texts enabled singling out the following verbalized conceptual features of GENIUS in the English scientific image of the world: extraordinariness (exceptional, rare, soar above the rest of us, stood out); originality (revolutionized, changing the world, Scientific breakthroughs); creativity (creative, creativity), curiosity (curious, curiosity); intellect (intelligence); achievement (achievement, contributions); an unknown force (a force); socio-cu- tural influence (nurture, social and cultural influences).

Conclusions

The study of a concept through the language is the most reliable way of linguistic analysis which allows to detect conceptual features and to work out the structural model of the concept. The structure of a concept is manifested through dictionary definitions of the corresponding lexical units and through speech contexts. The linguistic embodiment of the concept GENIUS was considered on the basis of English biographies and publicist texts which represent two variants of the English picture of the world, namely, naive and scientific. The following conceptual features have been singled out: exclusivity, extraordinariness, intellectual abilities, creative abilities, achievements which were proved, demonstrated, deep knowledge of a certain sphere, mastery, independence, endurance, inspiration, fervor, work, originality, young age, force, socio-cultural influence. The prospect of further research is seen in consideration of the verbalization of concept GENIUS in the English artistic discourse.

References

1. Антология концептов / Под ред. В.И. Карасика, И.А. Стернина. Том 1. Волгоград: Парадигма, 2005. 352 с.

2. Ефремова Д.А. Типы англоязычных биографий второй половины ХХ - начала ХХ1 века. Филология и культура. 2013. № 1 (32). С.142-145.

3. Попова З.Д. Семантико-когнитивный подход как направление когнитивной лингвистики. Vita in lingua: К юбилею профессора С.Г. Воркачева: Сборник статей / отв. ред. В.И. Карасик. Краснодар: Атриум, 2007. С. 171-180.

4. Genius: articles. URL: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/search?q=g enius

5. Albert Einstein. URL: http://www.notablebi- ographies.com/Du-Fi/Einstein-Al- bert.htmI#ixzz4WVvnakf8

6. Isaac Newton. URL: https://www.biography.com/news/isaac-newton- biography-facts

7. Leonardo da Vinci. URL: http://www.biography.com/people/leonardo-da-vinci- 40396#the-lastsupper Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. URL: https://www.biography.com/people/wolfgangmozart- 9417115

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