Group Interpretation Structure of the “Russian” Concepts МУЖЧИНА (MAN)/ЖЕНЩИНА (WOMAN)

Abstract

The issue of studying gender stereotypes in different cultures stems from the need to outline current trends in the variability of normative mental representation of men and women. A cognitive-communicative approach makes it possible to interpret conceptual changes in group language consciousness. A stereotype is understood both as a format of knowledge with a prototypical organization and as a cognitive scheme that structures a conceptual system. As part of the study a questionnaire was conducted and over 2,000 reactions about typically male (1,064) and female (1,053) characteristics were collected. The ranking of conceptual-thematic groups and their components determining the meaning of language categories is based on lexical representation of gender characteristics. The research methodology combines conceptual and definitional analyses of lexical units denoting stereotypical male and female qualities, as well as cognitive modeling of prototypical organization of the concepts under study. The aim of the research is to model a structure of basic gender concepts in their group interpretation. The prototypical core of the concept МУЖЧИНА (MAN) consists of traditional masculine characteristics (responsibility, strength, courage, bravery), while the core of the concept ЖЕНЩИНА (WOMAN) includes traditional feminine qualities (emotionality, caretaking, kindness). The pre-core zone of the concept МУЖЧИНА (MAN) is mainly expressed by orientation to achievement; public image; dedication to moral norms and principles. Intellect, family values and sociability are peripheral. The pre-core zone of the concept ЖЕНЩИНА (WOMAN) is characterized by career orientation; morality; communicativeness. Family values, expression of emotions, overcoming intelligence-based discrimination are peripheral, a woman’s appearance is the least frequent. Along with typical gender qualities, a transitional (metagender) zone can be distinguished, where traditional lexico-semantic characteristics of masculinity and femininity are being re-coded. Thus, gender categorization in the Russian speakers’ language consciousness can be defined as a binary model based on core prototypical characteristics. However, dynamic processes of gender neutralization competing with the most representative characteristics of basic gender concepts are observed at the boundary of concept zones.