Motivating Signs of the Concepts “Horse” and “Loshad' / Kon'” in Cross‐Cultural Conceptual Worldviews

Abstract

The paper features the concepts of «horse» and «loshad' / kon'» and their motivating signs. A concept emerges when the internal primary form of the word appears to objectify the concept in the language. According to the conducted analysis, the concepts have several motivating signs of different language actualization frequency. The most ancient and frequent originated from the Pre-Indo-European language: the name of an animal of a certain family, domesticated or wild animal; to run; cart; chariot; torrent; swift; adult male horse, stallion, gelding; device; large, coarse, healthy, (horsepower – unit of measure); cavalry; plow, harrow; earth; netherworld, hell; spark, fire; fate; to curse, to revenge, barren, mist, darkness; the spirit of cereals; spotted, pockmarked; jewel, to praise, give a loud shout; to fly; lightning; terrible, attack of illness; horse thief. The analysis revealed four signs that are common for both cultures: the name of an animal of a certain family, domesticated or wild animal; to run; adult male horse, stallion, gelding; harrow, plow; unit of measurement. The examples prove frequency and relevance of the motivating signs. Some signs currently function in the form of symbolic signs.

Keywords

• cognitive linguistics
• linguaculturology
• language picture of the world
• inner word form
• historical and etymological analysis