THE FUNCTIONING OF ELF AS A LEXEME IN “THE LORD OF THE RINGS” BY J.R.R. TOLKIEN

Abstract

The researchers investigate the semantic and stylistic aspects of the lexical system of “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien. The study includes lexicographical and extralinguistic overview of “elf” as a notion which is verbalized in peculiarities of its functioning in the novel under study. Our work is based on the analysis of the “elf” lexeme usage catalogue that consists of 458 uses. The article includes the analysis of two aspects of the selected lexical unit, namely the functioning of the lexeme elf as a tool of verbalization for the notion of “elf” and the functioning of this lexeme as a stylistic device in “The Lord of the Rings”. It is also attempted, based on the analysis of the lexeme semantics, to provide a more relevant definition for elf as a word. Elf is chosen as an object of the study due to high frequency of its use within the novel and a significant impact that elves from “The Lord of the Rings” eventually made on the image of elves in the world culture.