Linguistic analysis of fiction texts in the context of the frame theory

Abstract

The aim of the study is to identify and analyse frame structures, activators, and concepts in texts to reveal their impact on the reader’s perception. The research employed the methods of semantic, structural, and intertextual frame analysis. Cronbach’s alpha was also used to verify the instruments used. The following cases were used in the work: Oxford English Corpus and International Corpus of English (ICE). It is noted that frame activators such as “great heat,” “hell heat”, “hot wind”, and “scorching sun” evoke associations with scorching heat and unusual warmth in the desert. These frames convey the impression of life danger, exhaustion, and severity of conditions. In turn, phraseological units such as “fresh waters”, “bloody sunset”, and “dried earth” reveal the contradictory nature of the image of the desert, where even such natural phenomena as water and sunset acquire a new, deep shade of meaning. The application of this theory was found to reveal complex language structures and their influence on the understanding and perception of texts. The obtained results open up new opportunities for educational and literary analysis, deepening the understanding of language mechanisms in fiction. Further studies in the field of linguistic analysis of texts should be aimed at considering the interaction between different works of art, focusing on the frame perspective. It is also worth paying attention to the possibilities of using the theory of frames to fulfill practical assignments, such as automatic text analysis.