Semantic peculiarities of English riddles and their reflection in the linguistic picture of the world

Abstract

The article determines riddles as short works the basis of which is a witty, metaphorical question that involves an answer. It is determined that the specificity of riddles is that in their concealed allegorical form an object or phenomenon is encrypted and one should find its original meaning. The theme of English folk riddles covers the phenomena of nature, flora and fauna, which constantly surrounds a human (his spiritual life, work, household items, tools, etc.). It has been researched that the poetics of the genre of English folk riddles is mainly characterized by general folklore features. The most often, they are based on metaphor, metonymy and detailed parallelism. It has been proved that epithets, comparisons, hyperbolas and tautological expressions are used in the language of riddles, which enriches the “language” of riddles, gives it expressiveness and variety. The rhythm of riddles is often emphasized by alliteration and assonance, which helps to make their structure clear and enhance the effect of the recipient's perception. On the basis of the research the following types of logical riddles are distinguished a) riddles based on incomplete direct description of asked object; b) description of asked object is given by its comparison (direct or negative) with the other objects; c) metaphorical (based on replacing of asked object with another); d) riddles, in which asked and “puzzling” objects have a general characteristic, moreover the asked object is expressed more intensive; e) graphic (is asked not the word, but the letter); f) homonymous (based on game of homonyms meaning); g) punning, or sound (based on the change of verbal framework); h) riddles-jokes (aimed at the inertia of interlocutor perception); i) cumulative (based on the principle of cumulative tales); j) riddles-tasks (arithmetic, counting). It has been found that English folk riddle is widely used as a textbook and is the subject of some theoretical research, since it has a complex semantic structure, is grouped on different topics, and reflects the heritage of previous generations.