Latin expressions and the constitution of imaginary in“The cask of Amontillado”

Abstract

This study is an analysis of the short story called The cask of Amontillado, by Edgar Allan Poe, translated into Portuguese by Brenno Silveira. Our object is the use ipsis litteris of two Latin expressions in relation to the unity of effect aimed in the narrative. Our objective is to point out the stylistic role of this option, since nemo me impune lacessit and in pace requiescat supply the narrative with an essential and questionable principle of cause and effect. Our method consists in a concise description of these Latin expressions from the conceptual perspective of stylistics (on enunciation). Our theoretical basis has been provided by Nilce Sant’Anna Martins (Introdução à estilística: a expressividade na língua portuguesa [Introduction to Stylistics: expressiveness in the Portuguese Language]) and Regina Rocha (A enunciação dos provérbios: descrições em francês e português [The Enunciation of sayings: French and Portuguese descriptions]), along with other supporting works. Our conclusion speaks about the option of the translator to preserve the Latin expressions in this short story, which is not that simple in terms of interpretation.