THE CONCEPT OF SMELL IN ITALIAN POETRY OF THE SECOND HALF OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Authors:   Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine, Morenets Olena 
Published: June 2019

The article focuses on the features of the concept smell and its structure. It also deals with creating a field model of the concept. The concept smell is analyzed on the example of Italian poetry of the second half of the twentieth century. Olfactory phenomena are studied on the material of literary movements of futurism, on the works of the crepusculars, in hermetic, neoavant-garde and postmodernism poetry. Concepts are mental constructions. The research is based on the model of concept elaborated by scientists Z. Popovа and J. Sternin. The concept of smell in Italian poetry has its own nucleus (basic layer), the near and far periphery (interpretive layer), which are responsible for fundamental and optional levels. Nuclear characteristics of the concept are determined by analyzing its vocabulary definitions. The nucleus of the lexical semantic field “odore” is represented by nouns-odorants that reproduce the sensual image, for instance “profumo”, “aroma”, “fragranza”, “olezzo”. The basic layer and interpretive features of the concept can be identified by examining the compatibility of its nominations with attributes and predicates that adds different cognitive classification features. Layer of interpretation is formed by such fixed combinations which reflects certain features of odors, their characteristics, intensity, duration, satisfaction / dissatisfaction etc. The concept of smell was analyzed due to its interpretative features: an olfactory landscape (a peculiar variety of odors that is characteristic for a particular area or work of art), an olfactory scene (a cognitive and mental structure that establishes the relation between the source of odors, the smell itself and the subject, which perceives them), an olfactory object (an object that is distinctively separated and identified among other sensory sensations), an evaluative aspect of the smell (pleasant / unpleasant odor). In our research the schemes of descriptions and verbalization of the olfactory information in poetry have been identified. Olfaction is holistic phenomenon and transforms the world in a Gestalt manner. An odor acquires meaning through learned associations. This is depicted in odor nominations: words are mainly names of sources of odour (lemon, garlic, mint, etc.). Only language as a cultural phenomenon though based on genetically developed algorithms, relates natural objects to neurophysiological actions via standardized semiotic mechanisms. Our perception could be described in loose terms of objectiveness only because we have an agreement in naming. Olfaction forms an integral part of of ingestive behavior, it serves as an acquired signal for danger (e. g. gas, smoke, rotting flesh) and has an important role in social communication and social life in general. The main problems in the terms of odor researches are: lack of theoretical background knowledge, subjective and cultural peculiarities in odor perception, some smells do not have their own names and are called due to their sources. Furthermore, there is the lack of measurements and data of odors and problems of how clearly defined the boundaries of an olfactory stimuli and the concept of odor. We should take the subjects’ linguistic representations as indications of olfactory perception and іts categorization.