Verbal vocabulary as a means of expressing interpersonal relations in Russian and Chinese

Abstract

The subject of the study is the semantic and functional features of the lexico-semantic group of verbs denoting interpersonal relations in the Russian and Chinese languages. The verbal vocabulary representing the category of relationship describes the relationships that arise between people in the form of feelings, judgments and appeals to each other in the course of everyday life. The purpose of the proposed article is to identify the semantic and functional features of the verbs of the lexico-semantic group of interpersonal relations in the system of Russian and Chinese languages. The study revealed similarities and differences in the meaning of these verbs. As the analysis showed, some Chinese verbs do not match the meaning of the verbs of the Russian language. This article also examines the types of semantic changes in the semantic structure of the verbal word form functioning in the context. The main method of studying this group of verbs in Russian and Chinese is the comparative method. The descriptive method and the functional-semantic method, as well as the method of component analysis, were used in the selection and use of linguistic material. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that the verbs of interpersonal relations are still insufficiently studied on the materials of the Russian and Chinese languages. The results of the research can be used in the practice of teaching university courses in such disciplines as cognitive linguistics, linguoculturology, and intercultural communication. The study allows us to conclude that the verbs of interpersonal relationships are quite often used in both languages. The meanings of Chinese and Russian verbs are not always equivalent. Their semantic structures may also differ. The analysis of interlanguage gaps reveals the presence of incomplete lexical correspondence to a foreign word. Some verbal lexicons express interpersonal relationships in their direct meanings, while others develop this ability as a result of semantic modulation and semantic derivation. Interpersonal relationships can be expressed by verbs from other lexico-semantic groups, acquiring the semantics of interpersonal relationships in the context. In conclusion, we note that expressions of interpersonal relationships can also be verb-noun combinations, which, when analyzing various specifiers in the context, indicate the reasons for a positive or negative attitude towards a person.