Analysis of Kinship Terms Using Natural Semantic Metalanguage: Anna Wierzbicka’s Approach

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Abstract

This paper provides a brief overview of some of the works by Anna Wierzbicka devoted to the study of kinship terms in different languages and cultures (Wierzbicka 2016a, 2016b, 2017). The paper considers the approach of the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM), proposed by Wierzbicka for describing the semantics of kinship terms based on the use of lexical universals and shows the advantages of this approach in comparison with other methods of analysis. It demonstrates advantages of this method over other methods of semantic analysis, including overcoming eurocentrism tendencies in the analysis of kinship terms.

About the authors

Elizaveta G Kotorova

University of Zielona Góra; National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University

Author for correspondence.
Email: e.kotorova@gmail.com
Dr., Professor at the University of Zielona Góra (Poland), Institute for German Studies, Head of the Department for Lexicology and Pragmalinguistics / Professor at the Department of Foreign Languages at National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University. Her research interests include Pragmalinguistics, Lexical Semantics, Contrastive Linguistics, Interlingual Equivalency, Ket Language. al. Wojska Polskiego 71A, 65-762, Zielona Góra, Poland; 30, Lenin avenue, Tomsk, 634050, Russia

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Copyright (c) 2018 Kotorova E.G.

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