LINGUOCULTURAL APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF LEXICAL SEMANTICS

Abstract

Contemporary linguistics is characterized by the growing interest in the study of lexical semantics. In this respect of primary importance is the in-depth analysis of the system and structural organization of modern English vocabulary. In the globalization period the most perceptible changes in the life of a person, his/her everyday and social activities etc. take place in the language’s vocabulary, i.e. lexis. The latter possesses a variety of verbal means to transfer, reveal, and even alter the existing ones, replacing them by the newly created words together with their meanings. Like any other language, English has its unique system and structure, and also elements, which are hierarchically placed in its semantic space. Both role and place of words are of great significance, and help establish various relationships between the words belonging to a definite group as well as other elements within the language system under research. Complex analysis of lexico-semantic specificity of words makes it possible to deeper study the most essential features of corresponding national cultures. The present paper deals with linguocultural approach to the study of lexical semantics. Lexicographical sources of modern English serve as a means of collecting, analyzing and classifying the obtained language material. English is best and to the fullest extent represented in the dictionaries, especially explanatory ones. On the material of monosemantic adjectives denoting the property of being happy, close links between language and culture, peculiarities of their expressions as well as their verbalization means have been revealed. 19 monosemantic adjectives have been studied, their common and distinctive features determined, their semantic specificity and ways of emotive lexis’ fragment verbalization revealed. On the basis of the conducted research, both semantic and communicative essence of being happy, its expression and functioning peculiarities in English have been determined and described.