Means of the action dynamics enhancement in the fairy tales by K. Chukovsky

Abstract

Managing the dynamics of action helps the author to weaken or intensify the intensity and expressiveness of events in the plot of a literary work. This tactical device is closely related not only to the categories of tense and aspect in Russian verbs, but also to the lexical system of the Russian language. This article, from the perspective of communicative grammar, examines various means of enhancing the dynamics of action in the Russian language based on Korney Chukovsky’s poetic fairy tales. The analysis of this material is relevant because in Chukovsky’s tales, the means of intensifying action dynamics are used not only actively but in direct connection with the author’s artistic objectives. Moreover, as children’s literature, Chukovsky’s tales train young readers to perceive action dynamics in fictional texts. The aim of the study is to identify the lexical and grammatical means, used by Chukovsky, to enhance action dynamics, and to analyze the characteristics of their application and interaction. The study was carried out using the methods of communicative-grammatical analysis within the framework of G. A. Zolotova’s communicative-functional grammar. Several groups of tools for enhancing action dynamics are identified and illustrated with examples – syntactic, morphological, lexical, word-formation, etc. The article reveals the important role of verbal predicates and verbless constructions. A comparison is made between different fairy tales by Chukovsky in the context of the topic under consideration, showing that the means of intensifying action dynamics are tied to specific plot moments. The article concludes that the investigation of tools for enhancing the dynamics of action in Chukovsky’s tales is a key to understanding how language can become a conduit into the world of imagination – where grammatical rules and poetic freedom merge into one single whole, captivating both children and adults alike.