International Journal of Linguistics & Communication

Linguistic Means of Cultural Continuum Conceptualization in American Poetry
Nataliia Gach

Abstract
The article examines the cognitive and pragmatic dimensions of place names, regarded as semantically meaningful linguistics units within a poetic discourse. It is proved that place names represent the imposition of cultural-historical continuum on geographical coordinates. The research is carried out within the analysis of the American poems (XIX - XXI cent.). The method of cognitive discourse analysis helps to interpret the knowledge behind the form and meaning of place names. The diachronic scope of the study is a basis for the comparative analysis of the place names functioning in the poetic works of different epochs. Thus, the relationship between extra-linguistic reality, mental constructs of its organization and linguistic means of their expression is established. The results of the research show that the role of place names consists in specifying the role of geographical objects in the process of the US development, and in organizing the lyrical space of a poem. In XIX - XX centuries place names serve as markers of geopolitical and historical processes in the American society. In 2nd half of the XX – beg. Of the XXI cent.place names are used mainly for the description of persona’s lyrical space.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/ijlc.v3n1a7