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Semantic asymmetry in the vocabulary of color (on the material of Slavic languages and their dialects)

Liberal Arts in Russia. 2022. Vol. 11. No. 5. Pp. 373-381.
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Kezina S. V.
Penza State University
40 Krasnaya Street, 440026 Penza, Russia
Email: svkezina@gmail.com
Lunnova M. G.
Penza State University
40 Krasnaya Street, 440026 Penza, Russia

Abstract

The phenomenon of stability and mobility of color semantics is analyzed on the material of Slavic languages and their dialects. The purpose of the study is to show that the semantic asymmetry is determined by the non-linearity of the color system and to identify the eventual reasons for the stability and mobility of the meaning. Comparative, comparative-historical, historical-comparative, additive and component analysis methods were used as the main methods of linguistic research. The relevance of the scientific analysis is determined by the unresolved main issues of historical semasiology: how different meanings of the same word were historically generated and what underlies different semantic actualization. The novelty of the study is due to the synergistic approach to the study of formal-content asymmetry. A reconstruction of the preliterate state of color semantics was carried out, showing that Slavic color names date back to the Indo-European period, and chromatic semes are generated on the basis of basic ones, sequentially being included in the semantic structure of the original word of the diachronic field and forming a color syncrete. It was revealed that the color syncrete has a complex heterogeneous structure, subjected to destruction back in the pre-literate period. The disintegration of ancient color syncretes is accompanied by the isolation of separate semes (decomposable and indecomposable) from them, which are realized differently in Slavic languages and their dialects. The study has shown that the semantic asymmetry is determined by the non-linear nature of the color system and defined eventual reasons for the stability and mobility of the color semantics. It is concluded that the stability and mobility of the color semantics in the Slavic languages determine their difference and similarity, and also maintain the dynamic balance of the color system.

Keywords

  • • Slavic languages and dialects
  • • color system
  • • semantic asymmetry
  • • synergetic approach
  • • diachronic field
  • • color syncrete

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