FRAMES OF REFERENCE FOR PLACE DESIGNATION IN THE LITERARY REPORTAGE “DER WALD DER GESCHICHTE – IN DER GOTTSCHEEˮ BY KARL-MARKUS GAUSS

Spatial phenomena, including the location of the event, the distance between the characters, the characterization of characters through spatial conditions, the symbolization of action by spatial phenomena, spatial descriptions and topoi are extremely important for a narrative text. The key unit of space is the place, the functionality and reference systems of which are the subject of this study. The purpose of the study is to identify the frames of reference of the place in Karl-Markus Gauss’s literary reportage “Der Wald der Geschichte – In der Gottsche,” to conduct their lexical-stylistic analysis and to determine their functional potential. Taking into account the dynamism of the literary reportage and its diachronic component, the problem of the frame of reference was chosen as the central one, since in this way it is possible not only to ascertain the presence of a description of individual places, but also to determine how they relate to each other in the plane of the text. It has been revealed that the author uses absolute (internal, topological, georeferenced, metric) and deictic systems to depict places. The analysis showed that the text is dominated by referential and metrical systems, as well as their combination. Topological and internal frames of reference occur less often and usually in combination with the previous two, and the used deixis is still specifi ed by clarifi cations from the absolute frame of reference. This indicates the author’s desire to strengthen the documentary level of literary reportage. One of the defi ning motifs is the dichotomy “then-now”, which is also conveyed mostly through descriptions of individual places which the author compares with the past. The system of places in space successfully built by the author in the text not only helps the reader better navigate the described world, but also makes it possible to create an imaginary map of the area. It serves as a kind of medium for conveying the historical and cultural aspects of the life of Gottscheers. Through the imagination of individual places, the author managed to textualize, enliven and convey to a wide range of readers what remained in the memories of several people. The geographical journey acquires a historical character, because with each place Gauss opens a new vertical axis for the reader, presenting it in a diachronic section, based on his own observations, historical facts, memories of residents, and statistical data. Key words: frame of reference, place, space, literary reportage, Karl-Markus Gauss.