Perceptive Phraseological Units In Paradigmatics Of Yakut And Mongolian

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the general trend of the modern lexicographic codification methodology of the system organization of language units of direct and indirect nomination. The scientific novelty of the study is that the paradigmatic perspective of considering the semantic and structural organization of language units of the indirect nomination of modern Yakut and Mongolian languages was not the subject of special study. The study uses the methods of componential analysis, phraseological identification. The analysis of dictionary definitions is used to establish the semantic structure of PUs. The general method of study is the inductive-deductive method. The authors revealed all categories of stable word complexes according to the structural-semantic classification of PUs of modern Yakut and Mongolian languages: phraseological unity, expression and combination. The analyzed semantic transfer of components in the composition of a stable word complex reflects one or another principle of the logical-semantic organization of PUs using antithesis, comparison, hyperbola, meiosis, alogism. The study presents all semantic categories of the language, such as synonymy, antonymy, polysemy and homonymy at the phraseological level. PUs as stable verbal complexes perform both nominative and axiological functions, as well as the functions of storing and fixing the entire complex of world knowledge and understanding by the language society and for transferring the accumulated knowledge to subsequent generations. The scientific semasiological, onomasiological and cognitive studies will undoubtedly be carried out in the future based on the richest lexical and phraseological material of lexical and phraseological sources.

Keywords: Lexicography, phraseological unit, semantics, semantic categories

Introduction

Unlike the lexical level, deeper semantic processes occur at the phraseological level due to the separability of phraseological units. Domestic scientists Baranov (2016), Chernysheva (1970), Telia (1993) and others were actively studying the problem of phraseological significance. In the language system PU make up a rich figurative layer, which is evidenced by the continuous interest of researchers in this topic. Detailed reviews of the state of knowledge of the phraseology of the Yakut language are presented in the works of Nelunov (1981), Prokopieva (1995). Noting a large number of Mongolisms in the Yakut language Ubryatova (1960) indicates the predominance of their number in the Yakut language only in the section of figurative and imitative words (p. 261). Referring to the fact that the bases of figurative verbs in the Yakut, Tuvan, Tofalar and Kyrgyz languages almost completely coincide in sound and meaning with those of the Mongolian language Rassadin concludes that these figurative verbs can be considered Mongolian in origin (Rassadin, 1980). Bertagaev (1949), Luvsanzhav (1966), Purbeev (1972), Tsydenzhapov (1990), Tsolmon (2006) and others devoted their works to the problems of studying phraseological expressions of the Mongolian language. The article on stable phraseological expressions (Bertagaev, 1949) is devoted to the comparative study of groups of related languages. Luvsanzhav (1966) in the course of a deep and comprehensive etymological analysis establishes and explains the appearance of many phraseological expressions in the Mongolian language. Besides, phraseological units of the modern Mongolian language are clarified in terms of their vocabulary, semantic unity and syntactic functions. Purbeev (1972) considered the verbal phraseological expressions of the Mongolian, Buryat and Kalmyk languages, as well as the current problems of Mongolian linguistics such as the reflection of phraseological units in national Russian dictionaries of Mongolian languages; general and private questions of verbal phraseological phrases in Mongolian languages; ambiguity of these expressions. The comparative study of figurative language units of Yakut and Mongolian languages is presented in the works of Monastarev and Prokopieva (2017), and Shamaeva and Prokopieva (2018).

Problem Statement

The relevance of the study is determined by the general trend of the modern lexicographic codification methodology of the PU system organization. The perceptivity of phraseological units is caused by the accessibility to understand the native speaker. Phraseological units are considered in the work in the aspect of paradigmatics, i.e. they are mutually opposed, interconnected and thereby mutually connected in their semantic structure. The paradigmatic perspective of considering the semantic and structural organization of PUs in the Yakut and Mongolian languages involves a semasiological and onomasiological analysis of the comparable units: semantic transfer of components as part of PUs using antithesis, comparison, hyperbola, meiosis, alogism, semantic categories of the language such as synonymy, antonymy, polysemy and homonymy at the phraseological level.

Research Questions

The analysis of the set of criteria used to identify PUs focused on the semantic criterion, i.e. a complete or partial rethinking of the component composition. The connotative component as a full member is included in the structure of phraseological significance along with the denotative and significative components. The connotative component of the PU refers to the evaluation information present in the semantic structure of the PU and transmits the expressiveness to it (Prokopieva, 1995). Thus, the connotative component of the PU meaning constitutes its main concept, functional significance, according to which the PU appears in paradigmatic relations at the selection level. The figurative markedness of the semantics of the PU components is related to the anthropometric parameter and is relevant for the PU formation.

The main object of the study includes the phraseological units of perception of the Yakut and Mongolian languages.

The subject of the study is the structural and semantic features of the phraseological units of perception of the Yakut and Mongolian languages. The scientific relevance of the paper is that the PU reflects not only linguistic, but also non-linguistic information, which carries knowledge about the life of the people, their traditions and customs.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to consider the paradigmatic aspect of the semantic and structural organization of the phraseological units of perception of modern Yakut and Mongolian languages.

To this end, the study addresses the following specific tasks:

• to identify all categories of stable verbal complexes according to the structural-semantic classification of PUs;
• to consider all semantic categories of the language, such as synonymy, antonymy, polysemy and homonymy at the phraseological level.

Research Methods

The general method of study is inductive-deductive: from practical analysis of a specific language material to theoretical conclusions. The component analysis allows decomposing words and PUs into minimum significant parts. The phraseological identification method is used to identify phraseological significance in comparison with the original prototype. The analysis of vocabulary definitions of the lexicographic sources is used to establish the semantic structure of phraseological units. The PUs of the Yakut and Mongolian languages ​were selected by a continuous sampling from the Interpretation Dictionary of the Yakut language under the general editorship of Sleptsov (2010–2018), Large Academic Mongolian-Russian Dictionary under the editorship of Luvsandendev and Tsedendamba (2001), Russian-Mongolian Phraseological Dictionary by Luvsanzhav (1970) and the Yakut-Russian Phraseological Dictionary by Nelunov (1998–2002).

Findings

According to the structural-semantic classification, all categories of stable verbal complexes are presented in the PUs of the modern Yakut and Mongolian languages:

1. Phraseological unity is a combination of words with unmotivated or motivated semantics, for example:

Yakut: col. – the years are taking their toll, lit.: snow crushes; – pitch-black, black as pitch, moonless night, lit.: dark between months.

Mongolian: – tirelessly, lit.: without bending the heel tendon, without bending the legs; – hermit, lit.: born of a branch.

2. Phraseological expressions are stable verbal complexes with a sentence structure, for example:

Yakut: – live to the best, hearty, free life, liy.: the sun will rise, the lark will sing, the minnow will break the surface; – to become so old or beggar that everyone treats someone like a doormat, lit.: a person with whom people do not talk, on whom a dog does not bark, the cow does not beil.

written Mongolian: – if the evening comes, then there will be no light, and if youth passes, then there will be no happiness;– if you wash gold, it will become even more beautiful, and if you wash coal, it will become even blacker.

3. Phraseological combinations in which only one component has a figurative meaning, for example:

Yakut: col. – have a big mouth; – a stone heart.

Mongolian: – an evil soul, lit.: black soul; – idle talker, lit.: empty mouth.

The degree of semantic transfer of components in a sustainable verbal complex reflects some principle of the PU logical-semantic organization:

1. By means of antithesis, i.e. the construction of PUs following the principle of antonymy of the combined word components, for example:

Yakut: – a great sin, huge guilt, lit.: a sin that a horse cannot bear, a crime that a bull will not bear.

Mongolian: – try to seem to be what you really are not, lit.: the capture of a lion is not suitable for a boar.

2. By means of comparison, i.e. the construction of the PU figurative structure by comparing one object (in a broad sense) to another, which is supposed to have a common sign with the first, for example:

Yakut: – very greedy, lit.: greedy like a dog on a chain.

Mongolian: – and off he went, lit.: disappears like a wolf who grabbed a lamb.

3. By means of hyperbole, i.e. the construction of the PU figurative structure based on a known exaggerated degree or property of something, for example:

Yakut: – about a person who wears or has something expensive, elegant, but inappropriate, lit.: It’s like a dog wearing a tie.

Mongolian: – very long, extremely slowly, lit.: spent ten nights following the traces of a spider, spent twenty nights following the traces of a worm.

4. By means of meiosis, i.e. the construction of the PU figurative structure based on a known underestimation of the degree or property of something, for example:

Yakut: – having no personal property, lit.: does not even have a dog.

Mongolian: – to know absolutely nothing, lit.: do not even know the blackness of the nails.

5. By means of alogism, i.e. the construction of the PU figurative structure based on an unrealistic situation, for example:

Yakut: – if something impossible happens, lit.: if the sun rises from the west.

Mongolian: – a tall man, lit.: a full-term guy that spent ten months in utero.

The analyzed PUs represent all semantic categories of the language, such as synonymy, antonymy, polysemy and homonymy. The most common of the semantic categories are the synonymous PUs of the Yakut and Mongolian languages.

Synonymous PUs have a common or identical meaning, but differ in component composition and are related to the same part of speech, for example:

Yakut: – love someone with all heart and soul, find relief, lit.: his sun rises from someone; – love someone with all heart and soul, lit.: give up the spirit; – inflict beatings, kick the crap out of somebody, lit.: tear off his back; – lit.: give a striped back; – lit: do with flappy ears; – lit.: straighten his neck; – lit.: pluck his floss; – lit.: take his face.

Mongolian: – have heart in mouth, lit.: the soul fell; – lit.: the liver ruptured; – lit.: the heart broke; – to subject to punishment, to punish, lit.: to show the ban; махы нь идэх – harrow feelings, wear down; – remove three skins from someone, lit.: remove the skin from someone; хонгыг ухах – lit.: tear out the back of the hip; – to marry, lit.: to connect pillows; – to marry, lit.: to become home for someone; – to marry, lit.: to take a woman.

Usual variations of the following components codified in lexico- and phraseographic sources are observed in the PUs of the Yakut and Mongolian languages:

1. Substantive Components:

Yakut: – one who has seen it all before, experienced, lit.: old dog (wolf); – stay empty-handed, lit.: to grab the back leg of a dog;– not to go out of mind, be on mind.

Mongolian: – blame on each other, lit.: dog – its tail, and the tail its brush; – beastly cold, lit.: such cold that you can miss the whip (pole with a running noose) from your hands; – to be unfriendly, lit.: not to give face.

2. Verbal components:

Yakut: – to lose or win at horse races, lit.: put a horse under the legs; – flog severely (remove-tear);– talk nonsense, talk foolishly, lit.: sing of the sky (speak, paddle).

Mongolian: – knock out, throw somebody off his stride, lit.: look at the ground (stare); – peach, broadcast gossip; secretly inform against someone, lit.: grab the golden stigma (inform against); – give hope to someone with promises and not to fulfill them, not to keep your word, lit.: desecrate the mouth (waste).

3. Adjective components:

Yakut: – very, too greedy, like a dog on hay, lit.: greedy like a dog (jealous); – finally breathe freely (for example, discard the albatross, liberate from cares, etc.), lit.: look up with your eyes (white); – it became terrible, his patience has run out, lit.: his (wide) back narrowed.

Mongolian: – hate someone, take a great fancy to someone, lit.: to sleep with one invisible eye (able to see); – historical title, lit.: raised by many (erected); – extremely stingy, lit.: will not even give a broken (copper) coin.

4. Adverbial components:

Yakut: – the top of lungs, very loud, noisy (talk, shout, laugh), lit.: almost tore the mouth (in all the power of the throat); – to separate, start your farm, your own business, lit.: (separately, independently) release smoke; – to give an outright denial, lit.: shake your head (sharply).

Mongolian: – deceive quickly and cleverly, pit your wits against someone; play a sneaky trick on someone, lit.: immediately (at one moment) deceive seven times.

5. Inclusion of components:

Yakut: – col., likes to talk glibly not really doing anything; – with black short hair or the same beard; – to pull the wool over eyes.

Mongolian: – tattle, spread rumors, gossip; engage in vapid conversations, talk stuff and nonsense, talk idly, lit.: (mouth) sharpen your tongue, – look at faces, act with eyes on faces, lit.: look at the face (surface); – to foam at the mouth, fly into rage, become angry, lit.: poison (heartburn) boils.

6. Component inversion:

Yakut: – cannot speak, pronounce (from shame, fear, bitter grief, etc.), lit.: the sound does not come out of its insides;– to sing small (having being met with firm resistance, caution), calm down, lit.: his horns-hooves are clipped; – not to see what is visible, not to hear what is heard, lit.: ears-eyes closed.

Mongolian: – to be diligent, to try your best; serve faithfully; make a push, lit.: take out the strength, endurance of a dog and a horse.

7. Phraseological convergence:

Yakut: – very strong, ringing wind, frost, lit.: such a force that the horns of a young cow (cows) fall off (freeze); – dense, very dense, difficult to pass, lit: (forest, covert) where the dog will not put the muzzle (muzzle-lip); – cavernously, full-blast (throat-mouth, rupture).

Mongolian: – to experience an inspiration, to experience great joy, lit.: inside (seven) the sun goes out (rises); – be biased in favor of your neighbor, lit.: pull (look) a side (side-elbow); – become a shatter brain, idle reveller; be empty-headed, lit.: let in (squeeze) your wind (air) in the bottom.

Polysemy is an integral component of languages, their constitutive property. Words and phraseological units of any language represent a universal basis for the development of polysemy, almost any unit of a language has sufficient potential for the development of new meanings.

1. Convergent direction of semantic transfer is observed in polysemantic PUs:

Yakut: – 1) lose mind, 2) lose temper, lose head;– 1) to exploit someone cruelly, ruthlessly, 2) oppressing, to inflict horrific sufferings, lit.: (to sit down having turned into a horse) harness having turned into an ox; – 1) fully recover, finally recover (after illness), 2) gain strength; feel cheerful, cheer up, lit.: become a hawk; – 1) a slick intruder, tortuous, cunning, finding a way out of any situation, 2) one that cannot be brought to justice, lit.: like a slimy fish.

Mongolian: – 1) to make progress, to improve (about the condition of a patient), 2) to take care of, to render assistance and support, lit.: to go in this direction.

2. Divergent direction of semantic transfer is observed in homonymous PUs:

Yakut: – 1) be very tired, become enervated, 2) hungry, become wasted, lit.: became the predatory taste of a dog, the bad smell of a fox; – 1) with fine, inquisitive mind, wise, 2) insidious-cunning, lit.: lynx brain;– 1) to shoot without a miss, 2) not to let anyone in, block, lit.: will not miss a bird in the sky, will not miss a mouse on the ground.

Mongolian: – 1) to bring up, grow up, give a start in life, 2) to strengthen (e.g., economy), 3) to cure, cure of an illness, lit.: put back on one’s feet; –) turn one’s back on someone or something, 2) mistake; 3) die; lit.: look wrong.

The PUs having opposite meaning are considered antonymous, for example:

Yakut: – a person with good memory, lit.: squirrel brain – – a stupid person, lit.: capercailye brain; – about the sufficiency of food, feed for cattle, lit.: enough for mouth – – about the lack of food, feed for cattle, lit.: not enough for mouth; – 1) lose mind, 2) lose temper, lose head, lit.: out of mind – – be on mind, lit.: be on mind (thoughts).

Mongolian: – slow, slow-starter, lit.: with a heavy leg – – flexible, light of foot, lit.: with a light leg; – to strongly long for something, feel sadness, lit.: liver dries – – to be comforted, get the ashes dragged, lit.: liver is wet; – come to life, return to life, resurrect, lit.: soul comes out – – die, lose life, lit.: soul comes in.

Conclusion

The similarity of PUs codified in lexicographic sources indicates a certain commonality of associative thinking of speakers of the considered languages. The analyzed semantic transfer of the PU components reflects the principle of the logical-semantic organization of PUs using antithesis, comparison, hyperbola, meiosis, alogism. Synonymy, antonymy, polysemy and homonymy are represented in the Yakut and Mongolian languages at the phraseological level.

The studied PUs are characterized by a variety of usual variation of the component composition: the substitution of the substantive, verbal, adjective, adverbial component, inclusion, ellipsis of the component and phraseological convergence.

The scientific semasiological, onomasiological and cognitive studies will undoubtedly be carried out in the future based on the richest lexical and phraseological material of lexical and phraseological sources.

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