Investigating the Exploitation of Discoursal Deviation in J.K. Rowling’s Narrative A Corpus Linguistics Analysis of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Abstract

The current corpus-based linguistic and discourse study aims to examine deviation in J. K. Rowling fantasy literature novels of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. On account of the theme of wizardry and fantasy, the author attributed to different characters different social and supernatural identities. The sociolinguistic use of English has witnessed a peculiar approach to distinguish different characters and their cultural backgrounds and psychological affinities. The peculiar use of English, which may appear at first as a linguistic, sociolinguistic, stylistic, and discoursal breach, is consciously and deliberately utilised to achieve aesthetic and creative purposes. Deviation is, ultimately, functional and pragmatic as used by the author in the aforementioned corpora. It is not an inadvertent failure from the author's part to conform to the standards and rules of English. Unlike errors, which are occasioned because of the ignorance of the rules, deviation proves to be usage-related. It is assumed that deviation in the characters' speech act is a medium to achieve aesthetic and pragmatic objectives to create close-to-real life characters, with whom readers may identify and appreciate the artistic and stylistic messages and implications. Thanks to the AntConc software program (Reference 4.0), the frequency of the concordances have been collected and duly analysed. Besides, a desktop analysis that targets to verify semantico-pragmatic as well as discoursal deviation has been conscientiously undertaken. The utilisation of two media to extract and verify deviation is meant to add reliability and validity to the outcomes and eventually conclusions. The analysis reveals that deviational instances in the two corpora originate from English dialectical divergences from the Received Pronunciation, ethnic English spoken by non-fluent emigrants, colloquialism such as rhyming slang, and all of which serve aesthetic, stylistic and pragmatic purposes. In the final analysis, deviational instances in the discourse of the corpora in question are deliberate and authentic to different social classes, which adds to the veracity of the diction and verisimilitude to real life. Although the corpora adhere to children fantasy literature, it mirrors real-life use of the language, i.e., English, in a genuine sociolinguistic context.

تهدف هذه الدراسة لتحليل الخطاب في مدونتين للكاتبة البريطانية ج. ك. رولينغ الموسومتين ب Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secret و Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, وتنتمي هاتين الروايتين السرديتين لأدب الأطفال الخرافي. الروايتان تتطرقان للسحر والخرافة وعليه قامت الكاتبة بإضفاء هويات اجتماعية وغيبية للشخصيات التي يتميز خطابها بأسلوب طريف يميزها عن غيرها. هذا الأسلوب الخطابي في إطاره اللساني الاجتماعي يشير إلى الطبقة الاجتماعية والثقافية والحالة النفسية. الانجراف اللغوي في المدونتين ليس أصله الجهل بأصول اللغة وإنما هو استعمال واعي ومقصود لإضفاء الجانب الاستنباطي الدلالي والأسلوبي على الخطاب. إذن، الانجراف اللغوي كان وظيفيا وليس اعتباطيا. تفترض الدراسة أن الانحراف اللغوي في المدونتين يسعى لبناء خطاب أصيل يثري الجانب الاستنباطي الدلالي والأسلوبي للمدونتين. لقد تم الاستعانةAntConc 4.0 لاستخراج التردد الانجراف الخطابي في المدونتين. أثبت البحث أن الكاتبة اعتمدت على الإنجراف الخطابي متعمد ويهدف لتوظيف اللهجة والعامية والتعابير اللسانية لإثراء الواقعية اللغوية على الخطاب المميز للشخصيات.