CORE COMPONENTS OF THE DEATH CONCEPT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Abstract

The article analyzes the conceptual scope of the DEATH concept. The structure of the DEATH concept core has been explored in the article. Language is a means of verbalizing concepts, therefore, the structure and content of concepts are revealed through the meaning of language units representing a certain concept and its dictionary interpretations. In this work, based on the analysis of lexicographic sources, a synonymous group of lexemes for the DEATH concept, its core structure and the core components of the concept are studied. As a result of the study, it was proved that the core of the DEATH concept in the English language is represented by the following semantic features: “end / cessation” (кінець, припинення), “destruction / ruination” (руйнація, знищення), “loss” (втрата), “fear” (страх) та “devastation” (спустошення). It is proved that the structure of verbalizers of the DEATH concept is branched, and the core of the concept is represented by the signs that transpose the emotional range (fear, devastation), time intervals (end, expiration), fatality of events (inevitability for everyone) and belonging to one or another type of the events course (natural, violent, intentional). A semantic group of lexemes denoting the concept of DEATH the English language is singled out, the structure of linguistic verbalizers is modelled, their semantic classification is provided. The verbalization of the DEATH concept takes place due to various language means: synonymous series of lexemes of different semantic segments (phenomenon of death; process of dying; deceased person; burial place, grave, coffin; burial ceremony, farewell speech (eulogy); metaphorical images of death), set expressions and units of the folklore fund, figurative language expressions. The study showed that the idea of death in the English linguistic culture is quite traditional. Prospects for further research can be seen in the study of marginal features of the DEATH concept.