On the problem of semantic nonadditivity of motivated lexemes in the Russian language

Abstract

Introduction. The article examines the features of the semantics and pragmatics of lexemes with the metaphorical quantitative meaning “indefinite large number”, which occurs in colloquial speech in the process of nominating a large (more than the norm, measure) number of things, objects, and artifacts.

Materials and methods. The material consisted of dictionary entries of lexemes arsenal, pile, bulk, pile, blockage, pile, box, pile, row, fountain, stack and fragments of colloquial speech, including these words in a figurative sense. Using general scientific methods, as well as linguistic ones, primarily the method of component analysis, the definitions of dictionary entries of these lexemes were analyzed, the features of their semantics, pragmatics and their lexical compatibility in everyday communication were considered.

Analysis. In the course of the work, the metaphorical quantitative meaning of the studied words was characterized, the dynamics of its formation during the XX-XXI centuries was shown based on the definitions of explanatory dictionaries and colloquial texts. The peculiarities of the semantic structure of each lexeme in the named meaning are revealed during the analysis of its lexical compatibility and in comparison with the lexical compatibility of the nominations included in the studied group.

Results. The use of the named names of things, objects, and artifacts in everyday speech as metaphorical quantitative nominations with the meaning of “indefinite large number” is specific to each lexeme and is determined by its specific lexical compatibility. The degree of loss of nominative meaning in the studied lexemes is different, which is related to the possibility or impossibility of their interchangeability in similar contexts.