Mixed Emotion and Its Functional and Semantic Potential (Exemplified with the Word Dislike)

The article touches upon the problem of language categorization of mixed emotions from the perspective of functional and semantic aspects. Using the word dislike as an example the author shows how the reflection process of polyvalency in any emotional experience is revealed in the language: from implicit emotive ambivalence to its explicitness. It is postulated that the seme “mixture” is inherent to any word that has “emotion” and “valency” semes as their semantic components. The above-mentioned thesis is revealed from the combined and separate spelling of the Russian particle “НЕ” with verbs and nouns that are used to describe the process of mixed emotion categorization. It is also proved that pragmatic potential of expressing mixed emotions in emotional situations includes the speaker’s target at his\her interlocutor, anticipation of emotional reaction, and maintenance of a constructive communication tonality. The article demonstrates that categorization of mixed emotions presents a new stage in verbal emotion objectification and is the evolution marker of human emotional intelligence.

emotivity, semantics, emotional seme, mixed emotions, emotion categorization