FUNCTIONAL-SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF FRENCH-DERIVED LEXICON IN ENGLISH LITERARY TEXTS (Based on the Works of Oscar Wilde and William

Abstract

This article examines the functional-semantic characteristics of French-derived lexical units, commonly referred to as Gallicisms, in English literary texts, with particular reference to Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and selected works by William Somerset Maugham. The study focuses not merely on the presence of French-origin vocabulary in English, but also on its semantic distribution, functional potential, stylistic markedness, and contribution to the representation of cultural and social meanings in literary discourse. The analysis identifies several major thematic groups of Gallicisms, including vocabulary associated with culture and art, gastronomy, fashion, diplomacy, religion, and domestic life. Particular attention is devoted to the nominative, characterological, atmospheric, and stylistic-expressive functions performed by French-derived lexical items in literary contexts. The findings demonstrate that Gallicisms constitute an important historical and functional layer of the English lexicon and frequently acquire additional contextual meanings beyond their primary dictionary definitions. The study further demonstrates that French-derived vocabulary may contribute to the construction of characters’ social identities, the representation of particular cultural environments, the creation of an aesthetic atmosphere, and the expression of philosophical or moral concepts. Some Gallicisms have become fully integrated into English, whereas others retain recognizable French graphic or phonetic features. This variation provides valuable evidence for examining the processes of lexical borrowing, semantic assimilation, and functional adaptation in English.