Russian journal of linguistics: Vestnik RUDN (Dec 2016)

School Community Members Nomination in the French and Russian Languages

  • Ekaterina Vladimirovna Pryakhina

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 20, no. 3
pp. 214 – 229

Abstract

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The article features the results of a comparative analysis of the “Учащиеся/Éleves (students)” slot in the French and Russian languages. The analysis is carried out from the level of semantic units to the level of linguistic forms of their expression. The objectives of the study are to examine the lexical meanings of the researched units, to elicit their content and specific features of their verbal expression. The material for the study is formed by the units found in explanatory dictionaries, thesauri, LSP dictionaries, dictionaries of neologisms, dictionaries of loanwords, in official documents, in various French and Russian-language legislation acts, as well as in professional journals articles, and media content. The main research methods are presented by the frame analysis method, the componentinal analysis, the chain method of dictionary definitions, the comparative and statistical methods. As the result, the slot under consideration was moulded; the structural and morphological features of the lexical items of the analyzed slot were identified, and the componential analysis was performed. In addition, the differential characteristics were detected, the meanings of semantically similar words were demarked, and the semes present in the lexical units of slots “Учащиеся/Élèves” in French and Russian were compared. The analysis reveals a number of differences in terms of presence/absence of semes and also the lacunarity of the nomination of the student (learner). This demonstrates the cultural identity of the examined slot. Most of the differences can be found in the expression of semes “master's student” and “beginner”. The study also showed the difference in connotation and the presence of semes in the Russian language which are absent in French (such as: form of of training, ranking, grades, study year, tuition fees and level of higher education).

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