The issue of methods for language representation of the concept in diachrony (based on the material of the german language)

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to represent complex analysis of language representation of the concept “space” in diachrony from the perspective of Linguistics and Cultural Linguistics. The object of the research is the change of a mental image of space under the infl uence of extra-linguistic factors; the change is represented on verbal level in lexicosemantic paradigm of language units, represents of the concept. The subject of the research is the semantic structure of verbalisators of the concept “space”; elements of this structure are viewed as cognitive features formulating the content of the concept and structured in hierarchic relationship with each other (distinctive and qualifi cation features). The following theoretical results are achieved: inventory of language units of OHG, MHG and ENHG1, whose semantic components represent cognitive features refl ecting the content of the concept; analysis of changes in the system of these features, revealing of the least and the most evident ones, and a conclusion about communicative relevancy and signifi cance of the conceptualized fragment / the extension for the representative of a certain nation in the viewed period of history. The theoretical results can be applied in training as a part of a special course or of a scientifi c-research seminar in Cultural Linguistics and Cognitive Linguistics (Part “Methods and techniques for concept description”), and while working on the topic “Development of German lexis” in Lexicology and History of German. The major scientifi c and practical methods of analysis are continuous sampling (→ inventory of lexical units), semantic-etymological analysis / componential analysis combined with a method of analysis of lexical defi nitions (→ revealing a pattern of semantic components of units representing the concept), a method of semantic-cognitive description of the concept (→ interpretation of the results of semantic analysis and of received data on cognitive level).