Name, place, and emotional space : themed semantics in literary onomastic research
This research uses literary resources as evidence against the argument that names are potentially semantically meaningless entities. A secondary goal is to highlight and discuss the value of onomastics from both a literary and linguistic perspective. The thesis proposes a methodology for the assessment of literary sources based on genre, arguing that names, and genre in turn, may be defined through their respective engagement with thematic considerations, providing a relevant critical structure by which to assess the application or construction of names within fiction. The proposed methodology is first used to assess the placenames within dystopian literature, taking Orwellâs 1984 (1949), Huxleyâs Brave New World (1931), and Zamyatinâs We (1924) as exemplar texts for the genre. The emblematic themes identified within the onymic patterns (propaganda, classification and regulation) all share a common thematic root: power and control. In order to assess the validity of this approach, the fictional worlds depicted in a selection of other dystopic texts are also examined. A special study is made of terrapsychology and fictional ontology, as well as of three distinct subgenres of the gothic. Case studies of
Butler, James Odelle
BH Aesthetics ; P Philology. Linguistics ; PN Literature (General)
Name, place, and emotional space : themed semantics in literary onomastic research. This research uses literary resources as evidence against the argument that names are potentially semantically meaningless entities. A secondary goal is to highlight and discuss the value of onomastics from both a literary and linguistic perspective. The thesis proposes a methodology for the assessment of literary sources based on genre, arguing that names, and genre in turn, may be defined through their respective engagement with thematic considerations, providing a relevant critical structure by which to assess the application or construction of names within fiction. The proposed methodology is first used to assess the placenames within dystopian literature, taking Orwellâs 1984 (1949), Huxleyâs Brave New World (1931), and Zamyatinâs We (1924) as exemplar texts for the genre. The emblematic themes identified within the onymic patterns (propaganda, classification and regulation) all share a common thematic root: power and control. In order to assess the validity of this approach, the fictional worlds depicted in a selection of other dystopic texts are also examined. A special study is made of terrapsychology and fictional ontology, as well as of three distinct subgenres of the gothic. Case studies of
name place emotional space theme semantics literary research literary resource evidence argument name potentially semantically meaningless entity secondary goal highlight discus value literary_linguistic perspective proposes assessment literary_source base genre argue name genre turn may define respective engagement thematic consideration provide relevant critical structure assess application construction name within fiction propose first use ass within literature take person new_world exemplar texts genre emblematic theme identify within pattern propaganda classification regulation share_common thematic root power control order_ass validity fictional world depict selection text also_examine special study make fictional ontology well three_distinct case_study