The concept of BETRAYAL in English language consciousness: associative aspect

Abstract

The study of verbalized memory units and the relationships between them is an effective way of reconstructing language consciousness. The associative experiment is a reliable way of studying the specifics of native speakers’ language consciousness, as it is a verbal-associative network that helps to explore the connections with various objects and concepts laid down in a person's subconscious. The associative profile of the word-stimulus is a fragment of the ethnic group world image, reflected in the consciousness of the "average" culture bearer, his motives and assessments and, accordingly, his cultural stereotypes. Verbal reactions indicate the content included in the national mental image of a specific concept. The associative experiment made it possible to reveal verbal, that is, lexically materialized reactions of respondents to the word-stimulus betrayal. The received reactions give a verbalized representation of the researched concept reflected and fixed in the consciousness of the native speaker. The results of the conducted experiment show that the concept BETRAYAL is associated primarily with a traitor in the English language consciousness. The English clearly identify the subjects of betrayal – these are specific persons (historical, public, political figures, heroes of cartoons and literary works) with whom the objects of betrayal were in a close, trusting relationship. The characteristic features of traitors are treachery, lack of empathy, and the desire to hurt deliberately. The motivation behind the behavioral scenarios of such persons is deception, fraud, and the search for personal gain. In the language consciousness of English speakers, such behavior is verbalized as a shameful act, a crime that must be punished. Betrayal causes negative emotions, and is characterized as harmful, destructive, disgusting.