Символический макроконцепт СИЛА в аспекте первопризнаков

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to describe the symbolic component among the primary (motivating) signs of the STRENGTH/POWER macroconcept. Objectives of the article: 1) to identify a complete list of motivating signs of the STRENGTH/POWER macroconcept; 2) to single out symbolic signs among them; 3) to describe the ways of objectification of symbolic primary signs and provide examples from the Russian language. This research is relevant due to the importance of describing the special class of symbolic macroconcepts. The scientific novelty of the paper lies in the fact that for the first time the STRENGTH/POWER macroconcept is presented in the aspect of its primary signs. The key research methods used here are descriptive, interpretive, and conceptual, as well as component analysis of dictionary definitions. The author revealed 59 motivating signs of the STRENGTH/POWER macroconcept on the basis of 10 etymological and historical-etymological dictionaries. None of the dictionaries used contain a complete set of primary signs of this macroconcept. The large number of motivating signs indicates that STRENGTH/POWER is an important macroconcept, whose primary signs have syncretic nature. Eight out of 59 motivating signs are symbolic, which is 1/7 of the total number. This ratio is a sufficient basis for classifying the STRENGTH/POWER macroconcept as symbolic. The language material from the National Corpus of the Russian Language shows the relevance of all the identified symbolic signs. Symbolic primary signs of the STRENGTH/POWER macroconcept in Russian linguoculture can be presented in the form of three blocks: 1) the transcendental (‘god’, ‘general name of the second angelic rank’, ‘miracles’); 2) the vital component of a person (‘spirit’, ‘soul’, ‘life’); 3) unusual human abilities (‘divine gift of producing miracles’, ‘ability to make changes in other things’).