Англоязычный лингвокультурный сценарий “Legal systems”: структурно-семантические характеристики языковых единиц

Abstract

The aim of the study is to identify the structural and semantic features of linguistic units that serve as means of linguistic expression of the English-language linguocultural scenario “Legal systems”. The paper sheds light on the “linguocultural scenario” notion, provides a detailed description of the frame structure of the scenario by identifying the reference concepts and sub-concepts. The authors concentrate on the structural and semantic characteristics of linguistic units. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that the English-language linguocultural scenario of the thematic area “Legal systems” is described as a cognitive scheme of a speech situation, while the application of a comprehensive cognitive-cultural approach to extensive linguistic material allows the researchers to identify the features of the structure and semantics of linguistic units. As a result of the analysis, it has been found that structurally separable linguistic units, more accurately characterizing phenomena and objects, are the most common in the analyzed scenario. Affixed nouns and nouns with heterogeneous composition, one-word verbs characterizing actions within the legal system predominate among structurally inseparable linguistic units. Among structurally separable nominators, the predominance of two-component nominal phrases with the noun serving as a basic component and two-word verbal phrases has been noted.