National and Regional Lexicography as a Source of the Study of Language Contacts in Latvia

Abstract

The author considers various aspects of reflection of the functioning of the Russian language as a contact language in the national lexicographic tradition of Latvia. The composition and characteristics of Russicisms in monolingual and multilingual dictionaries of the Latvian language are analyzed. It allows to conclude about the main trends in the history of language contacts in Latvia. The author analyzes how the lexical features of the regional variety of the Russian are reflected in the dictionaries. Some general lexical and grammatical categories of two languages also are considered, the differences in the functioning of which are significant for analyzing the processes of interferent influence in both languages.