FUNCTIONAL PECULIARITIES OF THE ENGLISH MEANING «PARTICULAR» BASED ON THE ADJECTIVE SUPER
Keywords:
semes, etymological data, inner-structural meaning, semes actualization, graduation of the meaning, cognate synonymsAbstract
The article touches upon semes functional characteristics of an English adjective super. The word is a typical representative of the lexico-semantic group denoting generalized value particular. Etymological, lexicological, and syntagmatic data were taken into consideration to study principles of semes actualization for the adjective. According to a specific investigational algorithm, the semes were primarily designated when analyzing the definitions given in the articles of modern English dictionaries. Having systemized the meanings, the author investigates the ways of semes realization in typical text collocations of modern English literature. It was revealed that, being a periphery member of the lexico-semantic group, super, as a rule, depicts generalized evaluation in situations of admiration. One of the most common peculiarities of the word is its function of intensification for any characteristic/object in a form of adjective or adverb. It is covalent actually with all types of nouns in the situations where evaluation is intended or possible. The 4 lexemes of the adjective super can be classified as cognate synonyms of a special kind with close meanings. They possess a particular ability to express more powerful qualities or additional values while estimating different types of objects, people, situations, phenomena, etc., including negative characteristics usually actualized by a separate seme haughty. The results of the research prove the prevailing tendency to explicate the seme powerful or great in the majority of usage cases.
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