Structural Organisation of the Conceptual Field “Gratitude” in Russian: Core and Periphery

Aim. To determine the structural organization (core and periphery) of the conceptual field “GRATITUDE” in the Russian language, to clarify the scope of interpretation of this concept and its status.

Methodology. The study includes analysis of dictionary definitions, corpus analysis; distributional analysis highlighting the seme or sememe of the keyword; conceptual analysis, including a description of the structure of the concept; linguoculturological method to establish the linguistic, cultural and sociological features of the linguistic units under consideration.

Results. The description of the structure of the conceptual field “GRATITUDE” made it possible to identify several active semantic zones, united by the archeme of ‘gratitude’ / ‘appreciation’: core - ‘being thankful’, ‘recognition’; perinuclear zone - ‘respect’, ‘duty’ and ‘love’; periphery: near periphery - ‘praise/ approval’, ‘evaluation measure’, ‘encouragement’, ‘reward’, ‘payment’; distant periphery - ‘intention’, ‘compliment’, ‘reciprocity’, ‘courtesy’. The core of the field consists of the basic words and expressions used to express these ‘gratitude’ and ‘being thankful’, which are the basic ethical formulas for expressing interpersonal relationships, which are a special speech genre, a category. Near-nuclear and peripheral elements expand the semantic space of the field and make it possible to express gratitude in various contexts and with additional shades of meaning: peripheral gradual semes of politeness and formality; semes of support and assistance; semes of expressing positive emotions and feelings; semes of encouragement and praise; semes of recognition and respect, indicating various non-verbal ways of expressing gratitude (“facial expressions”, “gesture”, “gift” “emoticons”). In the conceptual field “GRATITUDE” semantic associative series with the concepts of “reciprocity”, “respect”, “mercy” and “love” are established.

Research implications. The theoretical and/or practical significance of the study of the conceptual field “GRATITUDE” in the Russian language is undeniable, since in the Russian language not only key lexical units and phraseological units have been identified, but also many linguistic aspects of modern communicative practices remain not fully explored. The results of the study can be used in the practice of teaching courses “Modern Russian Language” (Lexicology), “Stylistics”, “Cognitive Linguistics”, “Linguistic Analysis of Text”, “Philological Analysis of Text”, “Linguoculturology”, “Culture of Speech”, “Ethics of Speech Behaviour”; the materials are useful in lexicographic practice, as well as in the study of Russian as a foreign language.

1. Wierzbicka A. Semantic Universals and Language Description (Rus. ed.: Shmelyov A. D., transl. Semanticheskie universalii i opisanie yazykov. Moscow, Yazyki russkoj kul’tury Publ., 1999. 776 p.).

2. Zalevskaya A. A. Psiholingvisticheskie issledovaniya. Slovo. Tekst: izbrannye trudy [Psycholinguistic Studies. Word. Text: Selected Works]. Moscow, Gnozis Publ., 2005. 542 p.

3. Kolesnikova S. M. [The Concept of “Love”]. In: Vestnik Moskovskogo gosudarstvennogo oblastnogo universiteta. Seriya: Russkaya filologiya [Bulletin of Moscow Region State University. Series: Russian Philology], 2006, no. 1, pp. 17–27.

4. Melchuk I. A. Opyt teorii lingvisticheskih modelej «Smysl ⇔ tekst»: semantika, sintaksis [A. Experience of the Theory of Linguistic Models “Meaning ⇔ Text”: Semantics, Syntax]. Moscow, Yazyki russkoj kul’tury Publ., 1999. 345 p.

5. Paducheva E. V. Dinamicheskie modeli v semantike leksiki [Dynamic Models in the Semantics of Vocabulary]. Moscow, Yazyki slavyanskoj kul’tury Publ., 2004. 607 p.

6. Sternin I. A. Teoreticheskie i prikladnye problemy yazykoznaniya: izbrannye raboty [Theoretical and Applied Problems of Linguistics: Selected Works]. Voronezh, Istoki Publ., 2008. 595 p.

7. Teliya V. N. Russkaya frazeologiya. Semanticheskij, pragmaticheskij i lingvokul’turnyj aspekty [Russian Phraseology. Semantic, Pragmatic, and Linguocultural Aspects]. Moscow, Yazyki slavyanskoj kul’tury Publ., 1996. 284 p.