Lingvostylistic analysis

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Ministry of Education and Science of Russian Federation

North Caucasus State Technical University

Linguistics, Intercultural Communication and Tourism Department

Course Project on Lexicology:

Lingvostylistic analysis of popular song's texts

Written by Kseniya Rybalko

Supervised by D.K. Novikova

Stavropol, 2011

Contents

Introduction

I English songs discourse in the general context of culture

1.1 The song as a phenomenon of musical culture

1.2 The difference between classical and rock music

1.3 Verbal and nonverbal modes of transmission of emotional changes

II Linguistic features of English song's texts

2.1 Features of the song's text as creolized component

2.2 Features of narrative structure of song's texts

2.3 Implementation of the category of intertextuality in texts of English songs

III Practical part of the course project

Conclusion

List of used literature

Introduction

The difficulty of the study of song texts is that they represent a complex unity of musical and verbal components, and therefore, conducting linguistic research must be aware of their dual nature, but also to abstract from the melodic component, since the latter can't be unambiguously interpreted. This work was carried out in line with studies lingvocultural study of the text, which makes allowance for not only the purely linguistic features of English-language song texts, but also the cultural aspects of their operation. In our view, taking into account cultural factors help to understand and accurately explain the language features the texts of English songs discourse. For example, only familiarity with the countercultural trends 1960 allows us to understand the origin of pessimism, negativism, and aggression inherent in youth rock music, English-speaking countries.

Object of study is English song's text as a special kind of text.

The subject of the study is considered lingvocultural and text features songs in English language text.

The purpose of this paper is a characterization lingvostylistic and lingvocultural features of the texts of English songs. The goal is translated into the following tasks:

1. determine the place and role of the texts of English songs, among other cultural texts and the most important factors affecting the formation and development of these texts.

2. set specific perception of song texts as creolized, that is, combining the melodic and verbal components.

3. identify the most relevant texts for this type of linguistic and text-features.

Material research served as the lyrics anglophone artists.

We used the following methods: conceptual and interpretational analysis, the method of linguistic description, as well as elements of the statistical method.

I English songs discourse in the general context of culture

1.1 The song as a phenomenon of musical culture

One manifestation of the acquisition of musical culture of mass character, of course, is loss of interest in serious music genres. As noted in his work Kremlev, “for the adequate perception of serious music is needed ... sufficiently high musical culture of the listener, which has not everyone ...” In order to get to the actual musical content in serious music, you must be aware of its formal organization, an understanding of genre features a symphony, a cantata or mass [4, 1966: 30]. I think one of the reasons for the decline of interest in serious music is just the inability to mass audiences to understand the shape and structure of music, not to mention the content. Although in terms of content are also possible difficulties for the reason that serious music is not as intrusive melodic as the modern.

In addition, if we talk about the so-called "classical music", that is the serious music of past eras, the issue is further complicated by the factor that the music used for the transmission of feelings and emotions a musical language, to understand which also requires the necessary level of musical culture. Music "classical period" (if we take it 18-19 century) reflect the emotional content of a completely different life of that era - a different attitude to things, to love. Besides, composing music professionalize, popular music 4 really assigned a strictly defined role means of entertainment.

For example, Gypsy music or music for dancing. Democratic changes in society as a whole have brought to the forefront of musical culture of different social strata and groups with their priorities [5, 2002: 70-76].

In relation to music as a means of entertainment and relaxation about any serious music can be no question, whether "classical" or modern serious music: Steve Reich, Harold Budd and Hector Zazu. The authors of serious music are not using simple melodic and rhythmic patterns and a number of different repeats, facilitating the perception of how the authors of popular music. Therefore, their work is interesting only for a narrow circle of experts and connoisseurs. Contemporary songs in general and the English song, in particular, as a musical phenomenon of the plan, sends “emotions and acting on the emotional and sensual man operation ... can evoke associations, memories of the past, experience, contribute to a change of mood" [4, 1996: 35]. While the impact of a rock song can not compare to the impact of symphonic music, it is also inherent in this force effect on the feelings and emotions of the public. You could even say that rock song is more efficient in terms of impact, because it achieves the result, keeping the formal simplicity and limited range of expressive-state funds. A traditional song in the English songs has the same rhythm throughout its length and consists of two or three verses and chorus, then there is the so-called two-part structure, for example:

I. Words like violence

Break the silence

Come crashing in

Into my little world

Painful to me

Pierce right through me

Can't you understand

Oh my little girl

Chorus:

All I ever wanted

All I ever needed

Is here in my arms

Words are very unnecessary

They can only do harm

Vows are spoken

Then be broken

Feelings are intense

Words are trivial

Pleasures remain

So does the pain

Words are meaningless

And forgettable

Chorus:

All I ever wanted

All I ever needed

Is here in my arms

Words are very unnecessary

They can only do harm

(Depeche Mode).

1.2 The difference between classical and rock music

There is one fundamental difference between rock music and classical (or serious) music: classical music's goal - to create a musical work, and the problem of interpretation, interpretation the author's intention and reports it to the public is satisfied by someone else (conductor, arranger) in rock music is that distance does not exist. It turns out that classical music exists only as a potentiality that may materialize in different ways in accordance with the decision of an interpreter. In the contemporary discourse song writer is almost always also the executor of his songs, and first appears canonical studio version of the song, and various options are implemented by the author during a performance at a concert. Thus, in the modern songs of musical discourse, the addressee receives the message it directly from the author, it means that the more subjective nature. Interestingly, the singer of songs, written by another person (even the great Beatles' songs performed by other people) in the eyes of the public is perceived as an author, precisely as one who is a hero song lyric, just as an actor in the eyes of viewers identified with the character he plays. In some video clips taken with the songs, the texts which tells about some love story, used fragments of films with known actors with a similar story, not related to this song, that confirms the trend to dramatize a song discourse. Some performers also use elements of dramatization during a live performance of their songs in front of an audience, for example, a group of “Black Sabbath” and “Genesis”.

One reason for the decline in popularity of serious music and the age of the popularity of pop and rock music is probably the fact that modern man is that kind of music is most adequately perform the inherent function of music to be a means to achieve emotional balance rights with the world. According to Vygotsky, art in general, and music, as one of his birth, “can overcome the greatest passion, which is not found an outlet in the real world ... the world is poured into a man through a wide opening funnel thousands calls, drives, stimuli - this has not been realized most of his life should be somehow eliminated” [3, 1986: 301]. In light of this statement behavior becomes clear the audience at concerts rock stars, where the roar of the crowd is often difficult to make out the music and lyrics - have that same discharge, discharge is not surge in the case of energy, reduce the emotional stress. The importance of emotional and sensory components in life suggests the following statement by the German researcher R. Arnheim: "People are much more substantive mental than physical. We appreciate the events of real life on how they impact on the psyche. We can conclude that the world spiritual experiences of man, so important for him, heavily influenced by contemporary songs, as the song mainly serves transfer of feelings. B. G. Ananiev expressed the view that there are categories of more advanced students, in which music acts in promoting the work of representations [8, 1982: 236]. We believe that this statement is hardly applicable to rock music, where one can talk only about the impact on the emotional and sensual sphere.

I.3 Verbal and nonverbal modes of transmission of emotional changes

Speaking about the specifics of musical songs, you should pay attention also to the so-called physiological aspect. P. Volkov, speaking of the verbal and nonverbal modes of transmission of emotional changes in the human psyche, notes that “in music really is what is called physiological effects, and most strikingly, this side of art making itself felt in such an artistic phenomenon, as rock music, where the leading means of expression are the rhythm and dynamics” [7, 1995: 47]. Observing the behavior of the public at the time of listening to rock songs, it is impossible not to agree that it is muscular activity during the perception that music is an essential element through which the emotional and sensory perception. Rhythmic movements of musicians and listeners, complicity in the performance by harmonizing voice, beating the rhythm with your hand or foot. Such complicity in the execution of consistent and internalization by identifying himself with the lyrical hero of the song. Psychological components of perception of the song, thus, is in accordance with the physiological component, which, given the formal simplicity and emergency expressive means of rock music, it is adequately explains the reason for its phenomenal popularity. M. Bonfeld quotes

K. Levi-Strauss that "to express the structure of the unconscious mind can only be adequately music ... people through music listening itself" [9, 1995: 201]. Thus, rock music successfully establishes contact with the part of the human personality, which the researchers called differently: the subconscious, the continuum thinking, emotional and sensual sphere, which has for a man no less important than the scope of intelligence.

Important question of the relationship between verbal and melodic component in the song. Song in one form or another, whether it is a modern rock song, folk song or a knightly romance, has always existed, and the music and the poetic word related to each other historically - we know that the lyrical works of the poets of antiquity is not recited, and sung.

In terms of priority in the perception of melodic and verbal components of the song should lead opinion A. P. Volkov, who believes that "music is included in the so-called continuous-flow and the emotional primacy in terms of perception, and verbalized form appears only when both plans are poured on level [7, 1996: 57]. Under this scheme, it turns out that the addressee songs in a position to perceive and analyze the text only after the perception of melodic component in isolation from it. With this explanation it becomes clear calm attitude of the public to poetic texts - those texts can only exist at the time of the song, no music shows all their flaws. It turns out that the music and lyrics in the song solve its problem only in unity.

Conclusions of the chapter:

- English-language song is a logical and natural fact of modern culture and an essential component in the hierarchy of needs of modern man, living in mass society;

- English song, including its texts, with some specific features characteristic of postmodern art;

- in the texts of English songs discourse co-exist as features of popular art, and countercultural and even subcultural trends;

- English songs art suffers from constant exposure of the media and the scientific and technological progress;

- process of the song is a specific communicative act;

- one of the factors contributing to the spread of English songs discourse, globalization is English;

- collection of texts of songs in English language is understood by us as a specific kind of discourse;

- modern English song is regarded by us as a tool for harmonization of emotional imbalance, arising from the interaction of the individual from reality.

English culture linguistic

II Linguistic features of English song's texts

2.1 Features of the song's text as creolized component

Melodic component is most effective impact on the emotional-sensual sphere and verbal component specifies "message. Among the lyrics of discourse is sufficiently small purely narrative texts, but at the heart of the vast majority of them are standard scripts and frames: lover leaves her lover, beloved for some reason can not be reunited, between lovers lost understanding, etc. As noted in our work, N.S. Valgina, "interacting with each other, verbal and nonverbal components ensure the integrity and connectivity of the product, its communicative effect" [10, 2001: 154]. Song (including song in English songs rock discourse) is a text with a partial creolization, because its components can exist independently: the texts of some of rock poets are being published as collections of poetry and melodies of songs are sometimes performed as instrumental works. Since the bulk of the emotional and sensual effect falls on the melodic component, the verbal component is often full of texture and again, not quite "poetic" expressions and phrases, does not have those two plans of the contents referred to by the G.O. Winokur [13, 1959: 390], and interpreted unambiguously, that is not typical of true poetry [14, 1992: 8]. The generalized nature of the song makes it the melodic component, causing the recipient to feel the emotional content of the verbal component.

Speaking about the parameters of the connection of melodic and verbal components should also be noted that the texts of unrequited love often put in a minor music, and lyrics about a happy love - on a positive, since for each couplet should refrain, its content is usually a synthesis for the content of all couplets character, as well structured and melodic components: melody or motive in the melody of the verse is permitted or motive chorus. Here is an example of song text to the typical two-part structure:

Excuse me if I may

Turn your attention my way

One moment I won't plead

It isn't much it's what I need

And what's so small to you

Is so large to me

It's the last thing I do

I'll make you see

If you turn from me you darken my sun

You snap that thin thread I call my horizon

And I'd like to remind you of something small

That the rock in this pocket could cause your fall

And what's so small to you

Is so large to me

It's the last thing I do

I'll make you see (S.Vega).

Thus, the melodic and verbal components of the songs are essentially a whole, solving the problem of artistic effects with the melodic and verbal code.

2.2 Features of narrative structure of song's texts

Determination of the narrative structure of the poetic text in general (as opposed to prose) seems to be rather difficult. As noted by M. J. Dymarskiy, "the most reliable criterion for the selection of text units is a theme, or meaning" [12, 2001: 94]. We rely on the concept of G. A. Zolotova which allocates on the basis of semantic five types of communication, or "registers" speech [11, 1999: 90]: the reproductive (the speaker reproduces a speech directly observable), informative (the speaker says he knows or knowable), generative (speaker makes certain findings generalizations about the well-known to him). In dialogic speech highlighted volitional (will of the speaker) and reactive (response speaks speech situation).

The following example contains generative element in the chorus (in italics), which is a conclusion a general nature not directly related to the circumstances as reported in the verse:

I hope that you miss me

Put me down on history

I feel such a reject now

Get yourself a life

I hope that you are sorry

For not accepting me

For not adoring me

That's why I am not your wife

People are stranger

People in danger

People are stranger

People deranged or

I remember there was

Nothing I could ever do

Never could impress you

Even if I tried (Cranberries)

Lyrics of English songs discourse characterized by a tendency to reflect and interpret specific situations, circumstances and objects in objective reality, in general, avoid making global generalizations about life in general. Furthermore, in these texts is a strong tendency to represent the situation as a dialogical, which also indicates a desire to reflect specific situations and giving it the reflection of greater visibility and credibility.

2.3 Implementation of the category of intertextuality in texts of English songs

It makes sense to talk about intertextuality in a broad sense, understanding it as a genre, the text in the lyric poetry and song lyrics, and in the narrow sense, i.e. as the presence in the text of allusions and quotations from other texts of culture. Speaking of genre, the text of English songs discourse with other song texts, we ascertain the prevalence of these two-part structure (verse + chorus) (about 70% of texts), focus on the love theme (about 85% of texts) and typical motifs of the lyrics (water as a metaphor passing of time, loneliness, weird and incomprehensible nature of life and destiny, etc.). As for intertextuality in the narrow sense, we should mention such texts, the sources of allusions and quotations, as Scripture and ancient myths.

Such contrasting relationship to reality can reflect the conflict, whose presence is an essential feature of almost any literary text. Conflicts of what I would like the author (which is often representative known for his non-conformism younger generation), the fact that he watches or watched in reality, in tune with the mood of youth, often located in ideological conflict with society, lifestyle, relationships of various types That a greater or lesser degree of certainty reflects rock music. Thus, we see that the modal variations in some sense correlated with the basic texts of English songs pathos of discourse, which is to overcome adversity.

Conclusions of the chapter:

- lyrics of English songs are creolized as incorporate the melodic and verbal components, and are perceived by recipients is in unity.

- in terms of narrative structure in 90% of the texts of English songs meets the reproductive and informative case for monologue speech and volitional register (58%) and the reactive case (2%) for dialogue speech.

In practical part, we are going to conduct lingvostylistic analysis of two songs. We try to find metaphors, similes, antonyms, synonyms, repetition, and so on.

Here is a brief description.

A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea. For example: "Her eyes were glistening jewels". Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via association, comparison or resemblance.

Antonyms - words of opposite meaning

Comparison is the act of comparing one thing to another, in order to determine similarities and differences, relative size, relative importance, etc.

Synonyms are different words with almost identical or similar meanings. Words that are synonyms are said to be synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is called synonymy.

Repetition is the rhetorical device

Embellishment - word or an expression which, thanks to its special structure and function in the body, acquires a new meaning or semantic nuance

Idiom - a sustainable combination of words, which is an integral value and function correlated with a single word.

Hyperbole - stylistic figure of explicit and deliberate exaggeration.

III Practical part of the term paper

And now let us see in examples taken from the Internet whether these two English songs' texts. Two texts given below are taken from the Internet, which belong to different musical groups. With the help of these two examples we will analyze the lyrics and find similarities and differences.

Precious Things

So I ran faster

But it caught me here

Yes my loyalties turned

Like my ankle

In the seventh grade

Running after Billy

Running after the rain

These precious things

Let them bleed

Let them wash away

These precious things

Let them break their hold over me

He said: “You're really an ugly girl

But I like the way you play

And I died but I thanked him…

I wanna smash the faces

Of those beautiful boys

Those Christian boys

These precious things

Let them bleed

Let them wash away

These precious things

Let them break their hold over me

I remember

Yes in my peach party dress

No one dared no one cared

To tell me where the pretty girls are

Those demigods with their nine-inch nails

And little fascist panties

Tucked inside the heart of every nice girl

These precious things

Let them bleed

Let them wash away

These precious things

Let them break

Let them wash away

These precious things

Let them bleed now

Let them wash away

These precious things

Let them break their hold over me (T.Amos).

In this text contrasted the actual modality and modality of the desirability (in italics). In this text there is a group of words that express the negative meaning: break, wash away, bleed, smash, sick, died.

Type of the text - the modality of desire.

There is comparison in this text: That doesn't make you Jesus.

Of course, in every song is the repetition - the chorus. Basically, it repeated 3-4 times after the verse. In our example, repetition is this part of the song:

These precious things

Let them bleed

Let them wash away

These precious things

Let them break their hold over me

And one more example of popular English song's text:

Sick Cycle Carousel

If shame had a face I think it would kind of look like mine

If it had a home would it be my eyes

Would you believe me if I said I am tired of this

Well here we go one more time

I tried to climb your steps

I tried to chase you down

I tried to see how low I could get down to the ground

I tried to earn my way

I tried to change this mind

You better believe that I tried to beat this

So when will this end

It goes on and on and over and over and over again

Keep spinning around I know that it won't stop

Till I step down from this for good

I never thought I'd end up here

I never thought I'd be standing where I am

I guess I kind of thought it would be easier than this

I guess I was wrong now one more time

Cause I tried to climb your steps

I tried to chase you down

I tried to see how low I could get down to the ground

I tried to earn my way

I tried to change this mind

You better believe that I tried to beat this,

So when will this end

It goes on and on and over and over and over again

Keep spinning around I know that it won't stop

Till I step down from this

Sick cycle carousel, this is a sick cycle, yeah

Sick cycle carousel

This is a sick cycle yeah

So when will this end

It goes on and on and over and over and over again

Keep spinning around I know that it won't stop

Till I step down from this for good

When will this end

It goes on and on and over and over and over again

Keep spinning around I know that it won't stop

Till I step down from this for good

Sick cycle carousel

Sick cycle carousel

Sick cycle carousel

Sick cycle carousel

Sick cycle carousel (Lifehouse)

Also this text is similar to the past lyrics. He has a negative meaning, too. Such words are following: shame, tired, how low I could get down to the ground, beat, spinning. Type of the text - the modality of desire.

In this text we are talking about eternal carousel. So, the author tries to convey to the listener sense, often repeating a phrase: sick cycle carousel, sick cycle carousel, sick cycle carousel, sick cycle carousel. The word “sick” is used not casually here. It gives the song a more unfortunate kind.

Despite the fact that the authors of the songs are quite different, they have been a general theme. In this case, it is the sadness. From this we can conclude that people often write poems about sadness, because they want to convey to the listeners about their grief and reflection. A poem by supporting appropriate music, the listener can feel the feelings of the author.

Conclusion

The most significant features of the texts of English songs are: dialogical and the important role these types of modalities, as volitional, desirability and feasibility for the powerful impact of orchestrating the melodic component.

Song text is creolized text and should be treated as a unity of melodic and verbal components that complement each other. Song text retains some features of the texts of poetic discourse.

With the help of songs, the authors express their emotions, feelings. We can easily understand them because of the availability and understanding of the meaning of songs.

One can go to study the history of rock music, listen the plates of Beatles, Pink Floyd, etc., to compare the texts of modernity and the "past" century, but it is unlikely to help you understand what's modern music. Naturally much has changed, but what exactly? Were added the energy, drive, or all the poetic power remained at the same level? But the question is more difficult to promote music.

But if the classic rock can be found in all sorts of books, the Internet portals, etc., but various more informal of such kind information can be found only by people directly associated with these cultures.

Contemporary music is something that can certainly be interested anyone, even a little interested in this kind of art.

We believe that the text of the song at this stage of development of culture actually performs the function of lyric poetry, and as such requires further investigation of language and linguistic and cultural plan. One possible direction would be to study the levels of perception of the verbal component to a survey of informants and using appropriate techniques. We think that the study of English songs' texts could bring many interesting results.

List of literature

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2. Елисеева В.В. Лексикология английского языка. / В.В. Елисеева - СПб: СПбГУ, 2003

3. Vygotskiy L.S. Psychology of Art / L.S. Vygotskiy. - М.: 1986 - 301 p.

4. Kremlev J.A. About the place of music among the arts. / J.A. Kremlev - M.: 1966 - 30, 35 p.

5. Ortega and Gasset Jose. Revolt of the Masses. / Jose Ortega and Gasset - M.: 2002 - 70-76 p.

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8. Ananiev B.G. Some features of the psychological structure of personality. / B.G. Ananiev - M.: 1982 - 236 p.

9. Bonfeld M. Music: the language or speech. / M. Bonfeld - M.: 1995 - 201 p.

10. Valgina N.S. The theory of text. / N.S. Valgina - M.: 2001 - 154 p.

11. Zolotova G.A. Essay on the functional syntax. / G.A. Zolotova - Spb.: 1999 - 90 p.

12. Dymarskiy M.J. Problems of formation and text-literary texts. / M.J. Dymarskiy - M.: 2001 - 94 p.

13. Vinokur G.O. Selected works of Russian language. / G.O. Vinokur - M.: 1959 - 390 p.

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15. “The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations” [Oxford, 1999]

16. Linguistic encyclopedia. - М.: 1990.

17. http://www.gumer.info/bibliotek_Buks/Linguist/Article/Fr_LingAn.php

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