A FUNCTIONAL APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF LEXICAL REPETITION IN THE LITERARY TEXT

Lexical repetition is one of the most significant cohesive devices used by writers to create textual unity, highlight key themes, and express emotional or stylistic meanings. This article explores the functional approach to analyzing lexical repetition in literary texts, focusing on its semantic, stylistic, pragmatic, and communicative roles. Drawing on theories of functional linguistics and discourse analysis, the paper examines how repeated lexical items contribute to foregrounding, characterization, thematic development, narrative cohesion, and the construction of literary aesthetics. Examples from modern and classical literature illustrate the diverse functions of repetition. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of lexical repetition as a multifunctional linguistic tool central to literary interpretation.