ЛЕКСИКОГРАФИЧЕСКОЕ ОПИСАНИЕ СЛОВА „СВЯТОЙ”

Apply

ЛЕКСИКОГРАФИЧЕСКОЕ ОПИСАНИЕ СЛОВА „СВЯТОЙ”

Journal Title: Acta Neophilologica - Year 2008, Vol 1, Issue 0

Abstract

The article introduces description of extension and intension of the Russian lexeme SAINT basing upon its definitions presented in the diachronic and modern defining dictionaries (11 dictionaries were reviewed). The lexicographical data had been compared to reveal the difference between the core of the concept in the modern language and the same periods. The dictionaries treat the word SAINT (either noun or adjective) as polysemous; up until the 18th century all the meanings of the word were covered by the religious semantic structure included the following interconnected components: (1) source of saintliness; (2) guides to saintliness; (3) embodiment of saintliness; (4) manifestation of saintliness; (5) path leading to saintliness; (6) the men of God. The above semantic system may be treated as hierarchy made up along the axis ‘GOD - MAN’, and the sole and ultimate apex of such hierarchy is the Divinity. In the modern defining dictionaries, the meanings of the word in question (reflecting the religious knowledge about the universe and the reality of the human creative work) are not matching with above semantic system. Moreover, ‘the quintessence of the saintliness’ is no more God, but man. This is the indication of the fact that the idea of the Ecclesia of Heaven and of Earth (that had been formed under influence of the early ethnical and Christian traditions and theological and philosophical conceptualization of human being) is distorted in the mind of the modern Russian native-speakers.

Authors and Affiliations

Светлана Смирнова

Keywords

word saint sanctity Russian literary language historical and interpretation dictionaries quantitative and substantial changes

EP ID EP279723
DOI -
Views 182
Downloads 0