Pragmatic and semantic potential of antonyms of the German language

Abstract

The article deals with the study of antonymic nouns in the German language from the viewpoint of structural-semantic and functional-pragmatic approaches. This is conducive to a detailed and comprehensive description of the systemic meaning of antonymic oppositions and an analysis of their pragmatic potential, demonstrating the mechanisms of its realization in speech. The meaning of an utterance that arises during the actualization of the systemic meaning of antonyms  in speech is treated as the pragmatic meaning of antonyms. The following types of pragmatic meanings were distinguished: 1) contrastive opposition; 2) the meaning of exhaustive multiplicity; 3) indefiniteness; 4) alternativity; 5) negation of the opposite; 6) contradiction. It has been determined that the formation of the aforementioned types of pragmatic meanings, which can be interpreted through the reference of the actual meaning of antonymic units to a certain type of semantic realization, is a prerequisite for the fulfillment of the pragmatic functions by antonyms. The results of the study demonstrate that antonymy comes across not only as a linguistic reality but also as a tool for self-expression and communication. Antonyms perform the function of operational units that serve the purpose of the realization of the author's pragmatic intent. Due to certain features of their semantic structure and possible ways of combination with other linguistic units in the flow of speech, antonyms help the speaker to influence the addressee in the most effective manner, stimulating a certain reaction in their thoughts or behavior.