Nominating Representatives of the Negroid Race in the English and Russian Languages: Lexicographic and Discursive Aspects

Abstract

The article discusses the semantic and stylistic status of the English language words and word combinations nominating a representative of the Negroid race. The authors also searched for functional analogs of these designations in the modern Russian language. The research is based on the English-language and Russian-language explanatory dictionaries. The decision to study this semantic group is due to its direct relation to the first politically correct euphemisms. The relevance of the work is associated with researchers' increased interest in politically correct vocabulary and insufficient attention to the specifics of its use in scientific discourse. The authors attempt to provide a preliminary classification of lexical units with regard to the scientific discourse, considering their presence or absence in the selected explanatory dictionaries, as well as stylistic notes and comments. It is recommended to assign each studied designation to one of three categories in view of its supposed compatibility with the scientific discourse: 1) lexical units that can be used as common words and word combinations; 2) lexical units which need to be clarified or justified within the given work; 3) lexical units not recommended for such texts. Further research assumes a more detailed justification and possible refinement of the presented classification within a separate scientific paper.