Word-Formation Categories in “The Tale of Bygone Years” (With a Focus on Nominal Suffixed Derivatives)

Abstract

The article looks at word-formation categories in the “Tale of Bygone Years” from the cogni-tive perspective, specifically focusing on nominal suffixed derivatives as one of the most pro-ductive groups of derivative lexemes in the text of the manuscript. The author makes a num-ber of observations on the “internal form of the language” — i. e. specific forms of expression of thought and their grammatical realization as well as the creative and intellectual activity of human thinking. The primary purpose of the article is to determine the ratio of derivative and non-derivative nouns, to identify the most productive means of word formation, primary word-formation categories and their conceptual structure, and to analyze word-formation models that guide the process of cognition. We used content analysis to categorize common nouns in terms of their productivity/non-productivity and to determine word-formation mechanisms that are characteristic for the text. The statistical method was used to identify key word-formation methods and categories of nominal derivatives, while the descriptive-analytical method was used to describe their conceptual structure. In the course of the study, we identified primary word-formation categories which gave us a better idea of the medieval language consciousness which seems to have been characterized by an extensive system of word-formation suffixes. In particular, the word-formation act reveals a close interweaving of sensory and speculative perception and an interdependence of the structures of knowledge and evaluation of the world. In addition, the study revealed a high generative potential of core non-derivative concepts that underly the ancient Slavic language picture of the world. The results of the study confirm the hypothesis that the ancient man had developed abstract think-ing, and exteriorization of its conceptual system at all stages of its development was largely realized by original linguistic means. The theoretical significance of this research project lies in the synchronous study of word-formation processes as well as in applying axiological methods to the study of the linguistic picture of the world. Its practical conclusions throw fresh light at language as activity and demonstrate the high potential of original word-formation means of the Old Slavonic language. The results of this research can be used in theoretical courses in anthropo- and ethnolinguistics as well as in teaching Russian as a foreign language for advanced students.