“Čut’ živye, v noč’ osennjuju / My s ochoty vozv­ra­ščaemsja…” Secondary predicate in Nekrasov’s poetic texts

Abstract

The main aim of the article is to examine the grammatical and stylistic functions of the predicative attribute in the poetic work of Nekrasov. The study contributes to the general ‘grammar of poetry’, which has been proposed and developed by Roman Jakobson. The study shows that Nekrasov often used the predicative attribute and it constitutes one of the specific features of his style. Grammatically extended adjectival, participial and adverbial phrases, frequent in Nekrasov’s poetry, cause additional predication, which makes it possible to expand the narrative. The predicative attribute often combines the functions of an attribute with those of the adverbial modifiers of cause and consequence, which gives additional impetus to the narrative plot development. The analysis shows that Nekrasov’s style is characterized by nu­merous long repetitions of functionally similar grammatical elements, taking several lines. These repetitions often set the rhythm and determine the folklore character of his poems. Аttributive chains, paired formulas, synonymization of lexemes in chains, repetitions, in­strumental case in the meaning of comparison and metamorphosis can be found in classical pre-Nakrasov poetry as well. In Nekrasov’s poems these features appear in a concentrated, condensed form; they can be considered only against the background of his work as a whole.

Keywords

• predicative attribute
• small clause
• secondary predicate
• style and grammar of poetry
• nikolaj nekrasov