The English occult discourse: structural aspect

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the consideration of institutional forms and types of the English occult discourse and to outlining the ways of their further research. The following research methods have been used in the work: componential analysis, etymological analysis, contextual-interpretative method, linguo-cultural analysis. The article contains the definition of the term “discourse”, presents the main approaches to its study and typology, identifies and defines the concept of occult discourse. The key problems of discourse analysis remain the structure and stratification of discourse, the establishment of its features, units, categories, types; highlighting the ways of organizing its invariants, which emphasizes the relevance of this article. Instead of the generally accepted type of institutional discourse “mystical”, we consider it appropriate to use the term “occult discourse” to denote the general direction of discoursology, which studies the features of communication in various mystical practices like magic, astrology, etc., i.e. all areas of institutional activity beyond science and official religion. Basing on the results of etymological and componential analyses, we conclude that the occult discourse contains such basic genre varieties as astrological, magical and alchemical. Regarding socio-cultural features, we note that the function of these types of discourse stem from the symbolic and social meanings that are added to the relevant practices. Thus, the acquisition of occult sciences is part of the general system of thinking, beliefs in a particular society, which allows us to study the relevant fragment of the English worldview in mythological and naive versions. The perspective of this study is to analyze the genre varieties of astrological, magical and alchemical discourses, as well as to study the strategies and tactics of communication within each of them.