MENACE IN THE SEMANTIC AND SYNTACTIC STRUCTURE OF THE SENTENCE

Abstract

Purpose. The article deals with the studying of semantics of menace as the means of expression of volitive modality. The purpose of the article is to determine the essence, semantic structure, functional and semantic specificity of menace; to analyze a menace situation in the system of its components, to examine the means of its expression in modern Ukrainian fiction.

Methods. We have used method of theoretical and conceptual analysis for critical analysis of concepts available in Ukrainian and foreign linguistics regarding menace, method of continuous fixation of menace utterances from the texts of modern Ukrainian fiction, descriptive method and method of internal interpretation to establish differential features of menace, methods of semantic and functional-pragmatic analysis to characterize the functional-semantic features of menace and the means of its expression in modern Ukrainian fiction, method of contextual analysis, which assumes the existence of some context in which we study and analyze the semantics of menace.

Results. The essence, semantic and functional peculiarity of menace compared to other modal manifestations is determined. Menace is a complicated linguistic phenomenon. Its origin is connected with the necessity of representation of the modal meaning of threat. Menace is a special type of volitive modality that realizes semantics of threat by a complex of different means. Menace is characterized by the independence of semantic structure, functional, communicative and pragmatic specificity, diversity of structural types. The peculiarities of the Ukrainian language in semantic and grammar meaning are also indicated.

Conclusions. Menace is a mitigatory type of volitive modality, aimed at satisfying the needs, desires and interests of the speaker, and menace utterances are characterized by freedom of choice of the addressee, as he/she makes a decision as to the fulfillment of the action which is beneficial to the addresser. In a menace situation, the status of participants in the communicative process is not significant, and the action is performed by the addressee; menace utterances can be used both in formal and informal situations, they are initiative and normative. Verbal (lexical-semantic, morphological, syntactic) and non-verbal means are used to express menace, that prove and demonstrate illocutionary power of threat.