On the Question of Typological Description of Interlinguistic Synonyms "Russian" Word Patriot: Meaning And Sense in the Mirror of Armenian Lexikal Matchings

Abstract

The article is devoted to the comparative lexical-semantic and discursive analysis of the word and concept "patriot" in Russian and Armenian languages. A study of many texts with this lexeme allowed us to conclude that there are large discrepancies between the Russian word “patriot” and similar Armenian words – both in semantics, lexical paradigmatics, and in discursive properties. Thus, in the Russian language the word "patriot" does not differ in the diversity of epidigmatic and lexical-paradigmatic connections. In the Armenian language, where the word-formation model of word composition dominates, there is a fairly large number of synonyms and antonyms. The compatibility of the bases contributes to the development of recurrence of words in the synonymous series. Along with this, the synonymous series includes words with different shades of meaning, therefore, it is distinguished by high nominative density. Thus, we are presented with a rich semantic palette of the Armenian concept of "patriotism". In this multitude of semantic shades, semantic nodes stand out, which represent the general outline of the Armenian concept.

The concept of “patriot” manifests itself differently in Russian and Armenian discourses. Thus, in Russian discourse, the opposition “false patriot – true patriot” is formed, which does not so much clarify the meaning of the said phrase as it gives rise to a “controversy”, “dispute” around it, and sometimes calls into question the generally accepted, dictionary understanding of what is considered true patriotism. Thus, negative connotations of the lexeme “patriot” are formed in Russian discourse and a kind of discussion is born regarding both the meaning of this word and the very understanding of patriotism. The discursive space of the Russian language in this regard is divided into two areas: an area where there is a tendency to protect this word and the concept behind it from semantic deformations, to preserve its original dictionary meaning and the “purity” of the concept, and an area where the opposite tendency is observed – to see in this word a reflection of the psychology of the perception of such a phenomenon in society, and, consequently, to “clarify” and deform its lexical meaning. This interpretation of patriotism, characteristic of Russian discourse, is not observed in Armenian, which is fundamentally different in terms of the interpretation of patriotism as a social and individual manifestation of this psychological phenomenon. The Armenian linguistic perception of patriotism remains within the framework of its canonical, traditional and stereotypical presentation as an exclusively welcomed, socially encouraged model of behavior – a manifestation of love for one’s homeland, country, people, devotion, protection of their interests and freedoms.