CONCEPT “BRIBERY” IN LEXICOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION

Abstract

The lexicographic representation of bribery and the semantic properties of its verbal signs are investigated. It is established that there is no word “bribe” in the synonymic dictionaries of the Soviet period; however, Russian synonymic dictionaries make it possible to build a rather long series of lexical units that convey the concept of official bribery, the dominant of which is the word “bribe.” In modern speech, lexical units that convey the meaning of official bribery differ in a number of additional characteristics. Bribery is marked by the powerful position of its beneficiary; the distinctive feature of a bribe being illegal for both of its participants. The “vector” nature of a bribe as an indication of the participant from whom its initiative emanates, allows to separate the bribery from extortion, however, the feature of preliminary conspiracy between the bribe participants, which was once present in the meaning of the word “posul”, and the feature of observance-violation of duty, which was once present in the meaning of the words “mzdoimstvo” and “lihoimstvo”, in the minds of speakers of modern Russian, no longer exist.

Keywords

• bribery
• official bribery
• bribe
• promise
• kickback
• simony