Semantics of a derivative name as an activator of Russian speaker metalinguistic сognition
Morphologically complex words are presently regarded in cognitive science as valuable resources for language and cognition studies. The intricate implicit semantics of a derivative reflects basic mechanisms of categorization, characterization, mental representations and nomination. The research combines propositional and experimental paradigms in studying the metalinguistic cognitive activation potential of derivative semantic components. Propositional approach to the study of implicit semantics results in a detailed motivational formula of the derivative explicating the cognitive grounds of the nomination ((S2) believes that (S1) is characterized by (?),where Р=N (М1=0), but S1 is characterized by P always, often, is prone to, likes and, consequently, Р'>N ^2qn) and does it well or badly (Mql) => and it causes reaction good/bad (М3).). The issue under discussion is to what extent implicit propositional components of a derivative activate the metalinguistic cognition of a native speaker in the reverse naming task. The reverse naming task makes the respondent provide an extended definition of the derivative under study. The study is based on semantic components of a specific language material - Russian derivatives of a syncretic type which combine nominative and evaluative functions in their semantics in their semantics. The material under investigation includes derivatives of the following derivational patterns of the Russian language: Verb + suffix -ok, -ach, -uh(a), -k(a), -ulj(a), -sh(a) - ush(a), -oh(a), - ah(a), -jag(a), -ak(a), -l(a), ug(a). E.g.: p'et' (to sing) - pev-uha; pisat' (to write) - pis-aka; hohotat' (to laugh loudly) - hohot-un; strel'jat'(to shoot) - strel-ok. Adjective + suffix -ak, -ach, -k(a), -uh(a), -ush(a), -yshk(a), -ish, -ag(a), -ug(a), -uk(a), -ul'(ja). E.g.: lovkij (crafty) - lovk-ach; veselyj (jolly) - veselch-ak. Noun + suffix -ach, -an, -jag(a), -un, -juh(a), -jush(a). E.g.: politika (politics) - politik-an; nos (nose) - nos-ach; stil'(style) -stil-jaga. In the frame of a specially designed experiment the explication of implicit components of a derivative motivational formula is checked and linguistic means of such explication are described: e.g.: veselch-ak - is a person who likes (М2 qn) to enjoy life and does not care about other people (M3). The main concern is to reveal whether verbalization of propositional components is copied from the root word or whether it can be a product of activated metalinguistic cognition. The results show linguistic evidence of activation in 50% cases which provides grounds for further speculations on the topic of the specific cognitive nature of morphologically complex words.
Keywords
inner form activation, linguistic experiment, motivational formula, propositional approach, syncretic derivative name, активация внутренней формы, лингвистический эксперимент, мотивационная формула, пропозициональный подход, синкретичное производное имяAuthors
Name | Organization | |
Nagel Olga V. | Tomsk State University | olga.nagel2012@yandex.ru |
References

Semantics of a derivative name as an activator of Russian speaker metalinguistic сognition | Vestnik Tomskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Filologiya – Tomsk State University Journal of Philology. 2014. № 2 (28).