SEMANTIC SYNCRETISM AS A REGULATOR OF DYNAMIC STABILITY IN THE LEXICAL SYSTEM OF A LANGUAGE

The article aims to describe the peculiarities of historical evolution in the lexical-and-semantic system of the Russian language stipulated by the development of the phenomenon of syncretism – formal substantive linguistic asymmetry, which is noted to be insufficiently studied. The linguistic natu...

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Main Author: Marina Vas. Pimenova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Volgograd State University 2024-12-01
Series:Vestnik Volgogradskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta. Seriâ 2. Âzykoznanie
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Online Access:https://l.jvolsu.com/index.php/en/archive-en/940-science-journal-of-volsu-linguistics-2024-vol-23-no-6/evolution-and-functioning-of-the-russian-language/2856-pimenova-m-vas-semantic-syncretism-as-a-regulator-of-dynamic-stability-in-the-lexical-system-of-a-language
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author Marina Vas. Pimenova
author_facet Marina Vas. Pimenova
author_sort Marina Vas. Pimenova
collection DOAJ
description The article aims to describe the peculiarities of historical evolution in the lexical-and-semantic system of the Russian language stipulated by the development of the phenomenon of syncretism – formal substantive linguistic asymmetry, which is noted to be insufficiently studied. The linguistic nature of a special lexical-andsemantic category (syncretsemia) reflecting the “insoluble” semantic syncretism is demonstrated. Doubt is expressed in the correctness of the “straightforward” model of semantic evolution presented by language historians as an axiom. It is argued that syncretism predetermines the development of lexical meaning in a “spiralwise” direction: syncretism – its transformation/fragmentation – syncretism at a new level of language development. The author characterizes some major stages in the process of syncretic meaning modification. They occur simultaneously with the shifts in particular phases in the development of thinking. It is noted that in the most ancient period the original semantic syncretism was “compressed” to a flat state in the meaning of the etymon (syncretic word), indivisibly indicating a number of concepts. The transformation of semantic syncretism through the narrowing-concretization of the syncretic meaning is presented simultaneously with the expansion of its lexical expression with the help of minimal units of the Old Russian text (syncretemes) based on metonymy. The paper introduces the examples of original syncretism fragmentation through the intensive formation of derivatives from the invariant etymon and the gradual assigning them some components of the originally syncretic meaning. The cases of “stretching” the original syncretic syncretemes are considered. New types of semantic syncretism are shown to arise at the new level of language development. Furthermore, a modern transformation of syncretic units is observed. Syncretism is proved to be a fundamental ontological condition for the evolutionary stability in the lexical system of a language.
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series Vestnik Volgogradskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta. Seriâ 2. Âzykoznanie
spelling doaj-art-017f70a2517b4da9aa3c8e5be53309852025-01-19T11:21:51ZengVolgograd State UniversityVestnik Volgogradskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta. Seriâ 2. Âzykoznanie1998-99112409-19792024-12-0123610912410.15688/jvolsu2.2024.6.8SEMANTIC SYNCRETISM AS A REGULATOR OF DYNAMIC STABILITY IN THE LEXICAL SYSTEM OF A LANGUAGEMarina Vas. Pimenova0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4117-9273Vladimir State University named after Alexander and Nikolay Stoletovs, Vladimir, RussiaThe article aims to describe the peculiarities of historical evolution in the lexical-and-semantic system of the Russian language stipulated by the development of the phenomenon of syncretism – formal substantive linguistic asymmetry, which is noted to be insufficiently studied. The linguistic nature of a special lexical-andsemantic category (syncretsemia) reflecting the “insoluble” semantic syncretism is demonstrated. Doubt is expressed in the correctness of the “straightforward” model of semantic evolution presented by language historians as an axiom. It is argued that syncretism predetermines the development of lexical meaning in a “spiralwise” direction: syncretism – its transformation/fragmentation – syncretism at a new level of language development. The author characterizes some major stages in the process of syncretic meaning modification. They occur simultaneously with the shifts in particular phases in the development of thinking. It is noted that in the most ancient period the original semantic syncretism was “compressed” to a flat state in the meaning of the etymon (syncretic word), indivisibly indicating a number of concepts. The transformation of semantic syncretism through the narrowing-concretization of the syncretic meaning is presented simultaneously with the expansion of its lexical expression with the help of minimal units of the Old Russian text (syncretemes) based on metonymy. The paper introduces the examples of original syncretism fragmentation through the intensive formation of derivatives from the invariant etymon and the gradual assigning them some components of the originally syncretic meaning. The cases of “stretching” the original syncretic syncretemes are considered. New types of semantic syncretism are shown to arise at the new level of language development. Furthermore, a modern transformation of syncretic units is observed. Syncretism is proved to be a fundamental ontological condition for the evolutionary stability in the lexical system of a language.https://l.jvolsu.com/index.php/en/archive-en/940-science-journal-of-volsu-linguistics-2024-vol-23-no-6/evolution-and-functioning-of-the-russian-language/2856-pimenova-m-vas-semantic-syncretism-as-a-regulator-of-dynamic-stability-in-the-lexical-system-of-a-languagesemantic syncretismsyncretsemialexical systemdiachronysemantic development
spellingShingle Marina Vas. Pimenova
SEMANTIC SYNCRETISM AS A REGULATOR OF DYNAMIC STABILITY IN THE LEXICAL SYSTEM OF A LANGUAGE
Vestnik Volgogradskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta. Seriâ 2. Âzykoznanie
semantic syncretism
syncretsemia
lexical system
diachrony
semantic development
title SEMANTIC SYNCRETISM AS A REGULATOR OF DYNAMIC STABILITY IN THE LEXICAL SYSTEM OF A LANGUAGE
title_full SEMANTIC SYNCRETISM AS A REGULATOR OF DYNAMIC STABILITY IN THE LEXICAL SYSTEM OF A LANGUAGE
title_fullStr SEMANTIC SYNCRETISM AS A REGULATOR OF DYNAMIC STABILITY IN THE LEXICAL SYSTEM OF A LANGUAGE
title_full_unstemmed SEMANTIC SYNCRETISM AS A REGULATOR OF DYNAMIC STABILITY IN THE LEXICAL SYSTEM OF A LANGUAGE
title_short SEMANTIC SYNCRETISM AS A REGULATOR OF DYNAMIC STABILITY IN THE LEXICAL SYSTEM OF A LANGUAGE
title_sort semantic syncretism as a regulator of dynamic stability in the lexical system of a language
topic semantic syncretism
syncretsemia
lexical system
diachrony
semantic development
url https://l.jvolsu.com/index.php/en/archive-en/940-science-journal-of-volsu-linguistics-2024-vol-23-no-6/evolution-and-functioning-of-the-russian-language/2856-pimenova-m-vas-semantic-syncretism-as-a-regulator-of-dynamic-stability-in-the-lexical-system-of-a-language
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