Propositional-Frame Approach to the Description of Families of Russian Cognate Words as a Representation of Mental Discourse

Abstract

The research features families of cognate words in the Russian language as a dynamic phenomenon. Frame and proposition were adopted as the basic units of representation of word families. The study focused on derivatives with the borrowed formants -атор/-тор (-ator/-tor). Most of the propositions with -атор revealed a high degree of typification. This typification of propositions undergoes changes under the influence of the tendencies of the Russian linguistic system and as a result of assimilation. The mutation occurs both by changing the actants in the proposition, as well as by expanding the actant paradigm and the appearance of new members in the proposition. Assimilation results in polysemic potency derivatives. Occasional meanings of the analyzed derivatives form a new family with a typified frame structure. The nests are divided into propositions typical for similar families, with the same limited set of actants. The propositional-frame approach to the description of the families of cognate words makes it possible to express the knowledge of native speakers about the world, as well as to represent the epistemological basis of mental discourse.

Keywords

• frame
• proposition
• derivative
• borrowed formant
• nest unity
• a linguistic picture of the world