Linguistic interpretation of "ugliness" of the characters of Russian and Chinese fairy tales

Abstract

The article examines the interpretation of the concept of the ugliness of the external appearance of the characters of the Russian and Chinese fairy tales; analyzes and compares the similarities and differences of the named concept in different linguistic pictures of the world. Ugliness is considered as a basic universal concept of the aesthetic category inherent in the utilitarian and spiritual needs of people of different nationalities. The object of the study is the concept of ugliness in the linguistic picture of the world, reflected in a fairy tale. The subject of the study was the attributive means characterizing the characters of Russian and Chinese fairy tales; the creation of a semantic classification of representative lexemes, their cultural meanings and connotations. Classical conceptual analysis, which includes etymological, definitional, semantic, comparative types of analysis of key adjectives representing the concept of ugliness, is chosen as methods of practical research. The main conclusions of the conducted linguistic research are that the etymological analysis of the concept of ugliness allowed us to identify the following lexical and semantic groups of adjectives united by the theme "ugliness": ugliness as unattractiveness, ugliness as old age, ugliness as weakness. Based on the analysis of adjectives, it is concluded that the content of the Russian and Chinese concepts of ugliness essentially coincides, but as a result of the influence of national cultures has specific features. Consideration of the concept of "ugliness" in fairy tales in a comparative aspect makes it possible to identify national specifics reflected in the folklore picture of the world. And the novelty of the research lies in the fact that for the first time an attempt was made to analyze the concept of "ugliness" using the material of Russian and Chinese fairy tales. The results of the analysis can be used to study the national folklore and linguistic worldviews of the two peoples.