Vol 21, No 2 (2024)
- Year: 2024
- Articles: 13
- URL: https://journals.rudn.ru/polylinguality/issue/view/1770
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.22363/2618-897X-2024-21-2
Full Issue
Language in System
Understanding the Meaning of a Sentence and Text
Abstract
Thanks to the concept of G.P. Melnikov, the technology of text’s meaning understanding is clarified. In simple cases of understanding in the linguistic consciousness of a person, a group of mental actors plays out a small drama of a sentence / utterance, the script of which is set by a predicate (Seshe - Tenier). Here, understanding is equal to seeing the situation (mise en scene) and is the initial stage. At the second stage, what is seen is equated with a life metaphor or gestalt (Lakoff and Johnson). I.A. Melchuk and his Linguistic-combinatorial dictionary (created jointly with A. Zholkovsky) made up the third part of the theory of understanding, the fourth part of which should be considered the concept of speech actions by Austin and Searle. All these linguistic concepts agree well in the spirit of G.P. Melnikov’s systemology and form a theory of understanding as a whole. The problem of the multiple layers of the text is perfectly visible in the literary texts of Ch. Aimatov, whose 95th Anniversary coincided with a similar anniversary of G.P. Melnikov.
On the Anthroponyms of the North, Siberia and the Far East Peoples: Nenets, Evens, Chukchi
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to study the anthroponyms of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East in a comparative manner. The author studies the problem of the existence of personal names, surnames, nicknames, ethnonyms in the languages of various types of northern peoples: Ural (Nenets), Altai (Evens) and Paleo-Asian (Chukchi) in inextricable connection with their ethnic culture. In comparative terms, anthroponyms of other northern ethnic groups are used: Evenks, Nanais, Udeges. The object of the study is anthroponyms, as well as linguistic connections between the indigenous peoples of the North and Russians in synchronic and diachronic aspects from the standpoint of modern linguistic contactology. The subject of the research is personal names, surnames, nicknames, ethnonyms of indigenous small peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East: Nenets, Evens, Chukchi. Research methods: descriptive, comparative, phonetic, lexical-semantic and morphological analyses. The theoretical and practical significance of the study is associated with the low degree of its study, the lack of special scientific works devoted to the problem of anthroponyms in the comparative aspect. Attention is also paid to contacting languages and cultures in the regions of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation. The results of the work revealed facts that stated that the personal names, surnames, nicknames and ethnonyms of the peoples of the North are distinguished by great diversity, and their origin and existence are associated with the characteristics of the material and spiritual culture of ethnic groups; Among the extralinguistic factors that influenced the linguistic material, one of the main ones was the close communication of the indigenous inhabitants with the Russian population of the region. The author comes to the conclusion that the material under study - anthroponyms - has gone through a difficult path of contact, mutual enrichment and development; In borrowed words, primarily phonetic and lexical differences are revealed. In the field of grammar, the main ways of forming anthroponyms have been identified: morphological (suffixal), basic composition, conversion; the most common derivational and inflectional suffixes are given, including those that form male and female names and nicknames.
Local Epic Traditions of the Evens: Linguistic Aspect
Abstract
The relevance and necessity of studying the Even language and folklore are conditioned by ensuring the full functioning of a language that is at risk of extinction. In Even folklore, the archaic epic nimkan occupies a special place, representing great value for its historical, cognitive significance as well as its artistic level. The study of local variants nimkans, conducted from a linguistic perspective, is highly topical and pertains to the still undeveloped problems. It is timely to classify samples into specific local groups, to examine the language features of epic texts in the areas of phonetics, morphology, lexicon, stylistics. There is a significant need for work on deciphering, translating, systematizing, describing field folklore material that has not yet been introduced into scholarly discourse. The aim of the article is to attempt to outline the direction of further research on the language of the Even epic, in connection with which a differentiation of the Even epic tradition is presented according to its distribution area and dialectal affiliation. The object of the study is the local traditions of the Even epic nimkan. The subject of the study is the specificity of the language of the Even epic tradition (phonetic, morphological, lexical, stylistic features). The research methods include: descriptive, comparative-contrastive, contrastive. The result is an original classification and systematization of the Even epic tradition by local groups according to storytelling centers and linguistic features of territorial variants of language idioms, based on preliminary identification of phonetic, grammatical, lexical features. The necessity of linguistic analysis of epic is emphasized, which will contribute to the further comprehensive description of the language of the Even epic tradition; the introduction of new folklore materials collected in field conditions from different groups, archival materials; the supplementation, clarification of features of still unexplored and little-studied Even dialects.
LITERARY SPACE
Northerners’ World Image in the Essay Travel Notes (Life in Zhigansky District) by A.I. Sofronov-Alampa
Abstract
The article examines the northerners’ world image as it is reflected in the artistic essay by Yakut literature founder A.I. Sofronov-Alampa, Travel notes (life in Zhigansky District). The significance of the study is highlighted by the fact that 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the first work in Yakut literature that was dedicated to the daily life of the northern peoples. The purpose of this research is to study and comprehend the traditions, ethical beliefs, and mental characteristics of northern ethnic groups, as they are reflected in the work of A.I. Sofronov-Alampa. His essay became the primary material for the research, while supplementary materials included archival documents from the collections of the Manuscript Department of the Institute for Humanities Research and Indigenous Studies of the North of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as works by prominent northern ethnographers. The research uses historicaltypological, cultural-historical, and descriptive research methods. The analysis shows that A.I. Sofronov-Alampa reproduced with talent and reliability life realities of the northern peoples living in the incredibly difficult climatic and social conditions of the North. The author describes in detail the ethnographic realities, religious views, and traditions of the Tungus. At the same time, as a representative of the “civilized” world, the writer constantly compares the life of nomads with the way of life of the Yakuts. He identifies such distinctive features of the northern mentality as hospitality, tolerance, conflict avoidance, trust, mutual assistance, endurance, and respect for elders.
The Case (Precedent) Texts “Russian Cotton”: Historical Overtones in the Novel “The Colonizers” by B. Cheprunov
Abstract
The process of the birth of Russian cotton, reflected in the novel “Colonizers” by Boris Cheprunov, a descendant of settlers to the Turkestan region during the period of its conquest by the Russian Empire, is considered. Knowing the life of Central Asia from the inside - its languages, customs and culture, Cheprunov critically comprehends the process of colonization of Central Asia. The work of this writer fell out of the historical and literary process for political reasons; there was a fleeting attempt that did not receive continuation - without analysis, with half-truths, to return to him during the thaw period. The authors of the article do one more thing - to return to the history of literature of the twentieth century the work of a writer who was forcibly erased from the literary process. The purpose of the study is to highlight the theme of Russian cotton in the novel “The Colonizers” by B.V. in modern receptive practice. Cheprunova; objectives of the study: name the personalities and facts of the period of colonization of Central Asia who played a leading role in the birth of Russian cotton growing; highlight the colonialist intentions in Cheprunov’s novel; report the history of the publication of the novel “The Colonizers” and its tragic role in the author’s fate; consider the titles of the novel: one is the author’s, the second is given when the novel was published during the Thaw. The analysis of the article fits into modern Orientalist, or post-Saidian, scientific discourse.
Chronotope of D. Nakipov’s Novel “The Circle of Ash.”
Abstract
In the context of the predominance of polystylistics as a method of creating a modern Kazakh translingual novel, the research into new ways of realizing the author’s intention is extremely relevant. This study addresses the problem of chronotope in D. Nakipov’s novel “The Circle of Ash,” as well as the goal pursued by the author when choosing a specific representation of the space-time continuum in the work. A detailed analysis and a comparison of two layers of the narrative was made: the existence of the Samion tribe and the existence of the Onosam civilization. With the help of consecutive comparisons of the two worlds, not only the difference between the two cultures is emphasized, but also the points of their contact. The position is substantiated that two different worlds are a single chronotope of the novel. The study reveals the intention of the work which is that D. Nakipov demonstrates what kind of decadence the rejection of naturalness, the naturalness of being, can hypothetically lead to, what the desire to enclose living life within the framework of industrialization can lead to, how detrimental the impact of isolation from roots and the past can be. According to Nakipov, not a single scrupulously verified and refined convention cannot generate freedom and, by definition, cannot be as fruitful as wild but bright primitive chaos. In addition, the contrast between the Samion tribe and the Onosam civilization serves to express an idea common to Kazakh Russian-speaking writers - the idea of the absolute connection of all things between times and spaces. The article also records the peculiarity of the formation of objectification of the chronotope in the postmodern novel with the help of artistic detail. Even though the novel “The Circle of Ash” cannot be unambiguously attributed to postmodernism, it is still impossible not to say that the features of this literary movement are present in the novel. The objectification of the chronotope in the novel is the Kazakh archetype of the circle, which emphasizes the idea of the Absolute expressed in the novel.
Ethnic and Linguistic Self-Identification of Namzhil Nimbuyev in Poetic Discourse
Abstract
The paper is devoted to the study of a topical issue in modern socio-humanitarian knowledge: verbal ethnic and linguistic self-identification of ethnically non-Russian authors in Russian-language poetic discourse. Namely, we will analyze the work of a unique Russian-speaking poet of Buryat origin Namzhil Nimbuev from the point of view of the author’s verbal demonstration of his belonging to a certain ethnicity in linguistic and ethnic aspects. This article examines the poet’s only collection “Hobbled Lightning”, published in 1972. The article has a brief theoretical introduction: the concepts of identity, self-identification, ethnic and linguistic self-identification are considered, the classification of self-identification is chosen. The main part of the article presents an analysis of N. Nimbuev’s poems on the topic of interest to us. The words of the Buryat language, national nominatives, direct descriptions of self-identification (“I am a Buryat”), indirect ones based on comparisons and others were singled out. The poet’s attitude to the Russian and Buryat languages is considered. At the end of the work conclusions are made that the author self-identifies himself with a modern Buryat, expressing the national picture of the world through the Russian language.
Representation of Modus Meanings in a Transcultural Literary Text
Abstract
The article is devoted to the actual problem of the representation of subjective modality in a transcultural literary text. It provides a brief overview of scientific information about mode and dictum, about the types of modus words, the specifics of the linguistic personality of a nonnational writer. The purpose of this article is to determine the main ways of expressing modus meanings in a literary text and their features. The following methods and techniques were used: structural-semantic analysis, contextual, descriptive method, etc. Particular attention is paid to the description of complex sentences with explanatory clauses as an effective way of explication of modus meanings, through which the unique worldview and worldview of the writer / poet, the features of his national consciousness are revealed. In order to illustrate the results of the study, the authors used fragments from the works of modern Russian-speaking writers of Kazakhstan.
THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TRANSLATION
Experience of Self-Translation of a Lyric Poem from Russian into Erzya by a Bilingual Poet
Abstract
The purpose of the study is to consider the experience of self-translation of a lyric poem from Russian into Erzya by a bilingual poet. An analysis of the experience of automatic translation from Russian into Erzya allowed us to come to the conclusion that each translated work has its own “code of behavior,” which makes it uniquely withstand the translation procedure. The “code of behavior” of a poem consists of a number of factors - genre, theme, main idea, motives, image of the lyrical hero, the author’s personality, national and non-national signs and symbols, the time of creation of the text and the time of its translation. All this affects how the work will enter the space of another language. It may ‘agree’ to a new linguistic shell and then retain its original concept, without losing anything, but also without gaining anything, or it ‘may begin to resist’ the new sound, which will cause the birth of new meanings, and therefore new images, and complicate the nature of artistic expression. The native language, as a language genetically inherited from parents, conveys to a person the so-called “innate ideas” recorded in the gene pool of his ancestors. And they play an important role both when creating an original work and when translating it into another language. Research methods: descriptive, genetic, comparative.
DISCOURSE
Genre Characteristics of a Medical Poster about Diabetes
Abstract
The study is devoted to a polycode genre of medical discourse - medical poster. The relevance of the work is explained by the established interest of linguists in medical discourse and the need to study it in a variety of polycode genres and in various linguistic cultures. The purpose of the work is to establish universal and culturally specific features of verbal and visual components of a medical poster as a genre of medical discourse. The research material is polycode texts of a medical poster about diabetes in Russian, Arabic and Chinese languages, obtained by continuous sampling from open sources on the Internet. The study allowed us to conclude that diabetes, as a disease that has a high rate of spread and a stable correlation with lifestyle, is perceived as a social problem, the tool for informing about it is a medical poster, that has the following genre characteristics: a certain form of presenting information, thematic division (symptoms description, complications, prevention, life with diabetes, nutrition, physical activity, etc.), inclusion of medical terminology; the use of drawings and diagrams, primarily showing possible complications; orientation to semiotic characteristics of colour according to national culture; duplication of text component information with use of visual tools. The main linguistic and cultural features of a medical poster are their dominant functions (Russian medical poster - organizing; Arabic - informational and educational; Chinese - attractive), modality (Russian medical poster - working; Arabic - alarming; Chinese - neutral) and emphasis on various aspects of the disease (Russian medical poster - deepening background knowledge about the disease; Arabic - changing food stereotypes and the possibility of including medicinal plants and dietary supplements in treatment; Chinese - no requirement for a radical change in eating behaviour out of respect for gastronomic traditions, physical activity as disease prevention). The study contributes to describing features of the implementation of medical discourse in various linguistic cultures. The prospect of the study is seen in the inclusion of medical posters devoted to a wide range of medical problems in various languages in the research material.
PHILOSOPHY AND CULTURE
The Artistic Phenomenon of Ivan Kramskoy’s Painting “Unknown” in Painting and Literature
Abstract
The study was written in line with research into the specifics of painting and literature. At its center is the painting “Unknown” by Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy, which still remains a mystery in terms of the history of its creation, the reason for painting, the customer, and most importantly - the heroine of the painting. A parallel is drawn between the painting, A. Blok’s poem “The Stranger”, and the image of Anna Karenina in the theater in the novel by L.N. Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” and others. Both Kramskoy’s painting and the works of art examined in the article ask the same questions: what is the attractiveness and mystery of this woman, who is she, is she happy or, conversely, very unhappy, and ultimately - what is beauty? Why does humanity have an inescapable yearning for beauty? In addition to the associations that arise, there are several versions of assumptions about who is depicted in the picture. One of them is a portrait of Catherine Dolgoruky, the second wife of Alexander II. The article describes the story of their amazing love.