Binary Oppositions as a Method of Conceptualization: A Case of Codex Cumanicus

Abstract

The article studies the classification of binary oppositional pairs found in the medieval Codex Cumanicus written monument from a linguistic point of view. The Codex Cumanicus is a Latin manuscript of religious texts and dictionaries written in Kypchak, a Turkic language. The medieval written monument provides a lot of information about that time. In addition, we notice that the monument is closely related to the language and culture of Turkic people today. Through a comprehensive linguistic analysis, the study examines how human perception of binary oppositional pairs in the Codex Cumanicus reveals contrasting world-views. The article also investigates the role of binary oppositional pairs in constructing the linguistic picture of the world, exploring their cognitive implications. Furthermore, the study conducts a classification analysis of these pairs within the written monument and explores their continued usage and cognitive relevance in the modern Kazakh language.

Keywords

• binary pair
• oppositional pair
• linguculture
• ligvocultural approach
• codex cumanicus