Conceptual Dichotomy “Word of God – Human Word” in the Biblical Discourse

Abstract

The article deals with the study of the concept “word” as a basic one in the Holy Scripture. The Bible as a precedent text has always attracted researchers’ attention and still remains topical. It provokes interest as it renders sacral conceptual paradigm to the fullest. The article deals with cognitive linguistic modeling of the mentioned concept in the Biblical discourse, considering binary opposition “word of God – human word”. Cognitive meanings of the nuclear and peripheral concept zones, which are represented in the forms of notional, figurative and evaluative information, have been revealed in the course of study. Its nucleus contains factual and conceptual information, within which two components are characterized: linguistic and theological. The nomens “group of sounds”, “a language unit”, “speech”, “language”,”talk” and “conversation” represent the linguistic nature of a word. The lexemes “Logos”, “Gospel”, “the expressed or manifested mind and will of God”, “Jesus Christ” and “Holy Scripture” verbalize the theological component. A range of senses of the concept “word” has been singled out and analyzed, which often constitute whole microcontexts in the Biblical discourse. The peripheral zone of the concept “word” has been analyzed, that is represented as imagery and value information. The value information has been constructed on the opposition of the positive and negative connotations of the concept “word”. The imagery information naturally complements the notional one mostly by using the conceptual metaphor. The concept “word” in the Biblical discourse has been interpreted through comparison of dichotomies “sacral – profane”, “eternal – temporary”, “ideal – real”, “transcendental – immanent”, which manifest the extreme opposition “Word of God – human word”.