MOTIVATIONAL ASPECT OF FUNCTIONING OF PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS IN ENGLISH NEWS STORIES: A COGNITIVE RHETORICAL APPROACH

Abstract

The aim of the suggested investigation lies in defining mechanisms of activating person’s basic needs with the help of PhUs in the news stories. To achieve the goal we have used the method of random sampling, linguo-cognitive and contextual-interpretational analysis.

The results of the research. A cognitive-rhetorical approach to studying functions of PhUs’ in news stories has revealed that they appeal to person’s basic needs: physiological, safety, belongingness, reputation and self-actualization. The effects of satisfying the needs or their deficit are created by PhUs due to their constructional basis resting on preconceptual sensorimotor structures.

PhUs produce the effect of the deficit of the physiological need in food relying on the relations of motion through many intermediate points. While the sense of satisfying the mentioned need is created by the PhUs based on ENABLEMENT, which also along with the COMPULSION image-schema creates the impression of self-actualization of participants represented as the source of the force activity. PhUs with the meaning of close distance and containment create the effect of inclusion into a family circle or a social group and the relations of exclusion conversely point that the belongingness need is not satisfied. Phraseological units trigger the feelings of safety being based on BLOCKAGE serving as a protection or safety deficit representing participants as the source of DISABLEMENT and COUNTERFORCE. PhUs appealing to the esteem need are based on STATUS VERTICALITY creating the effect of satisfying this need localizing event participants at the TOP and their DOWN position, i.e. their not reaching the top of the status hierarchy indicates the deficit of esteem.

Conclusions. Phraseological units are constructions, i.e. pairings of form, meaning and function, which rely on preconceptual sensorimotor structures – image-schemas. Localizing, space-motor and dynamic relations as the basis for PhUs as constructions allow us to explain the mechanisms of the effects of satisfying or the deficit of the basic human needs produced by the units under investigation.