Image Of The World As The Basis Of Ethnic Dialogue

Abstract

The article presents an interdisciplinary analysis of the concepts existing in modern psychology and psycholinguistics on the problem of defining the concept of "image of the world", based on a cross-cultural approach. The image of the world should be considered as a nuclear formation of constantly changing cultural and linguistic consciousness, reflecting the different perceptions of the world by ethnic groups. The development of the national language and the corresponding changes in the image of the world among the speakers of a certain ethnic culture make it necessary to consider the factors that influence the formation of the image of the world and the establishment of an effective dialogue between representatives of different cultures. Language, as a sign system that characterizes people's belonging to the culture of an ethnic group, determines the structure of the image of the world. The structure of the image of the world includes components that are common for an ethnic group, including common features in the perception and understanding of the world by people of one ethnic group. These components are systems of meanings, and their quantity and quality depend on cultural, ethnic, and psycholinguistic differences. As a result of a comparative analysis, the components of the “image of the world” are necessary to organize a successful dialogue between people from different ethnic groups. The promising goal of further research is to optimize ethnic dialogue, as well as a more detailed understanding of the specifics of different cultures.