The Concept “Honor” and Its Figurative Representations in the Bilingual Writer's Blended Worldview (Based on the Story “Honor” by R. Seisenbayev)

The article discusses the concept “Honor” as an element of the Russian language worldview and the key concept of the creative blended worldview of the Kazakh bilingual writer Rollan Seisenbayev. The object of the analysis is the concept sphere of the story “Honor”, the key element of which is the same-name concept expressed by a set of direct, figurative and symbolic representations at the lexical and narrative level of the text structure. The name of the concept is given in the title of the story, and its semantic content is realized at the level of ideological and artistic content through the system of characters, the event and fable structure, the chronotope, the author's idea of a piece of art. The aim of the article is to identify the universal core and the ethno-specific components of the artistic concept “Honor” that the Kazakh writer aesthetically objectified by by means of the Russian language. Based on the data of previous studies and encyclopedic and explanatory dictionaries' material, the general content of the concept under study is determined, its frame structure and the semantic field of its lexical and phraseological expression in modern Russian are modeled. The conceptual core of the concept “Honor” is an idea of the high-positive individual qualities demonstrated for society's benefit and inspiring public respect. The conceptual frame structure of the concept contains three slots, which correspond to three subframes: (1) ‘the person has high positive qualities (virtues)', (2) ‘personal qualities correspond to the ideas of public welfare (ethical standards)', (3) ‘society respects (honors) the person’. The associative-figurative aspect of the concept “Honor” is connected with the metaphorical way of its comprehension and verbalization, with its symbolic expression by means of culture signs (images, symbols, gestures, rituals). Honor is conceptualized through the “top - bottom” orientation metaphor, the “head/arms - foot” body metaphor, the ontological metaphor of a “precious object”, a “whole - destroyed object”, “pure/light - dirty/dark object”. The figurative characteristic of honor presents the symbolism of a “monument”, a “sword”, a “horseman” as honor and power attributes, as well as action code symbols - gestures and facial expressions of superiority, honor, worship and humiliation. The creative blended worldview expressed by means of the Russian language describes the life, social and cultural lifestyle, mentality and spiritual aspirations of the Kazakhs of the early 18th century, reflects ideological views, ethical values, lifestyle and traditions of the Kazakh people. Universal content is complemented by such important national and historical-cultural meanings as family honor and military valor; while reducing the individual and dominating the collective aspects of honor notions. The situation of honor and dignity humiliation (desecrated honor) is actualized, which requires the restoration of justice: honor protection in battle (fair combat) or blood feud (barymta). The factors of honor and duty deviation such as vanity, pride, resentment, appetite for revenge are highlighted. The importance of such ethical and aesthetic categories as beauty, mercy, love and forgiveness are emphasized as the means of social relations harmonization.

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