LANGUAGE PERSONALITY OF MANIAC CHARACTER PATRICK BATEMAN FROM “AMERICAN PSYCHO” BY BRET EASTON ELLIS

Abstract

The article studies the language personality of the maniac character through specific language features at exponential, meaningful and intentional levels. The exponential level reveals the activity of the language personality, which shows active or passive language behavior of the character. The maniac character, Patrick Batman, from American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, manifests himself as a passive observer in most communicative situations. The meaningful level of the study shows concreteness in communication. Patrick uses both abstract and concrete ways of expressing himself, depending on the context. The intentional level of the study focuses on conflicts and humor in speech. Bateman’s discourse can be characterized as humorous: he often tells jokes and uses a satirical tone in conversations. He is also a conflict personality, which can be proved by his rude and insulting words. The psycholinguistic approach offered by M. Lyapon and E. Berne’s transactional analysis were taken into account. Psycholinguistic approach to the study of the language personality reveals psychological qualities of the maniac character and divides language personalities into extravertional and introvertional language personalities. M. Lyapon says that speech introversion can be revealed through the slip of the tongue and the correction of own words and phrases. According to this approach to the study of the maniac character’s discourse, we can conclude that Patrick is an introvertional language personality. Transactional analysis helps to determine a character’s communicative role in conversations. This analysis distinguishes three main roles of the language personality – Parent, Adult, Child. Child’s verbal behavior is connected with the emotional perception of the world. The role of Father shows authority and superiority which is expressed in speech by sharp remarks and control of other people’s behavior. The role of Adult is characterized by common sense and rational principles in discourse. According to this approach, Patrick performs the role of Father.