Abstract
Contemporary linguistics is characterized by the growing interest in the study of lexical semantics. In this respect of primary importance is the in-depth analysis of the system and structural organization of modern English vocabulary. In the globalization period the most perceptible changes in the life of a person, his/her everyday and social activities etc. take place in the language’s vocabulary, i.e. lexis. The latter possesses a variety of verbal means to transfer, reveal, and even alter the existing ones, replacing them by the newly created words together with their meanings. Like any other language, English has its unique system and structure, and also elements, which are hierarchically placed in its semantic space. Both role and place of words are of great significance, and help establish various relationships between the words belonging to a definite group as well as other elements within the language system under research. Complex analysis of lexico-semantic specificity of words makes it possible to deeper study the most essential features of corresponding national cultures. The present paper deals with linguocultural approach to the study of lexical semantics. Lexicographical sources of modern English serve as a means of collecting, analyzing and classifying the obtained language material. English is best and to the fullest extent represented in the dictionaries, especially explanatory ones. On the material of monosemantic adjectives denoting the property of being happy, close links between language and culture, peculiarities of their expressions as well as their verbalization means have been revealed. 19 monosemantic adjectives have been studied, their common and distinctive features determined, their semantic specificity and ways of emotive lexis’ fragment verbalization revealed. On the basis of the conducted research, both semantic and communicative essence of being happy, its expression and functioning peculiarities in English have been determined and described. Keywords: lexical semantics, language vocabulary, culture, system and structure, semantic space, dictionary, common and distinctive features, monosemantic adjectives, linguocultural approach.
Highlights
Contemporary linguistics is characterized by the growing interest in studying the language as a socio-cultural phenomenon of anthropocentric nature with a focus on a person and his/her role in organization and usage of language as a means of communication
Emotions are connected with human needs that lie in their motives and activity. They occupy an extremely significant place in human life, accompanying any activity and performing communicative, cognitive and regulatory functions. In this respect the problems of emotive semantics are closely connected with emotional aspect of human factor in language and are relevant in modern linguistics
The linguocultural approach to the study of the words’ lexical semantics has shown that regardless of their common meaning of being happy, the adjectives under research specify this notion in their own way by describing the intensity of feelings, motives, consequences and certain personal qualities needed to be happy
Summary
Contemporary linguistics is characterized by the growing interest in studying the language as a socio-cultural phenomenon of anthropocentric nature with a focus on a person and his/her role in organization and usage of language as a means of communication. Our linguocultural approach to the research of lexical semantics combined with the abovementioned methods and procedures of analysis has shown that in modern English 38 lexical units are used to reveal the emotional properties of being happy.
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