MEANS OF VERBALIZATION OF THE CONCEPT COSY IN CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH AND THEIR PRIORITY IN DISCOURSE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/folium/2024.5.8Keywords:
concept COSY, nominative field, key lexeme, synonymy, synonymous seriesAbstract
This article investigates the means by which the concept COSY is verbalized in contemporary English. As a mental construct, the concept reflects the perception of the world by individuals and society and is realized through a range of lexical units. Through comparative, statistical and diachronic analysis, the synonymous series of the lexeme “cosy,” presented in four thesauri, were analyzed. The lexicographic sources under study identify the dominant synonyms in these series as “comfortable” and “snug.” Our article examines lexical units of various types presented in lexicographic sources. These units have different stylistic connotations, function in different spheres (common: “comfortable,” “snug”; colloquial: “comfy,” etc.), and can be represented as individual lexemes or phrases. They are inherently English and can be identified as synonyms that realize the concept of COSY in contemporary English discourse. Based on the analysis of the usage of synonyms for the lexeme “cosy” in 2022 according to Google Books Ngram Viewer, we created a generalized synonymous series of the 29 studied lexemes with prioritized usage. This study demonstrates that language is dynamically changing. The parallel increase in the usage of the lexemes “easy” (convenient, pleasant, cozy) and “safe” (secure) as verbalizers of the concept of COSY may be related to the growing interest in physical safety and other aspects where safety is key. The diachronic method of analyzing synonymous lexical units as verbalizers of the concept of COSY, using the online search system Google Books Ngram Viewer, allowed us to investigate changes in their usage and the transformation of these synonymous series from 1800 to 2022. It was found that in contemporary English discourse, the most commonly used and prioritized synonyms for the lexeme “cosy” are “easy” and “safe,” indicating that for the British, the most important characteristics of coziness are pleasantness and safety.
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