Revealing of potential slots of the frame tolerance (in German, American and Russian linguocultures)

This article is devoted to the study of the frames Toleranz, tolerance and tolerantnost' in German, American and Russian lin-guocultures. The purpose of the current study is to reveal the potential slots (potential predications) of the three frames and to make an analytical model of the matrix-frame as the research instrument. In addition, the study claims to prove that the step of revealing slots is an essential part of such research that has the epistemological model of frame as its object. The research argues that the frame-semantic theory plays the main role in the modern studies of linguistic models representing the organization of knowledge. It introduces some previous studies of tolerance and illustrates the benefits of using the frame semantics methodology. Most of the contemporary research in this field is based on traditional studies of such authors as Ch. Fillmore, M. Minsky, and L. Barsalou. However, some new trends of more recent studies could be traced. They concern the connection of frame and discourse theories and are represented by A. Ziem, K.-P. Konerding, J. Klein, D. Busse and some other researchers. Frame semantics is not a separate discipline, but a united set of different methods, theories, conceptions that transcend the traditional disciplinary borders. It is important to see the difference among the frame aspects depending on the field and nature of a particular research. In this connection, frame semantics can be regarded as one of the many disciplines that have frame as their epistemological object. The difference between such frame elements as slots and fillers represents the undoubted basis of any frame theory. It is the first step of any frame analysis whether concrete or abstract frames are under study. The main methodological tenets of the current research are based on the method of reduction of hyperonomic types proposed and worked out by Ziem and Konerding. The basis of this method is the observance that the nature of relation between hyponyms and hyperonyms is similar to that between contextual actualizations and frames. Reduction of hyperonomic types makes it possible to reveal and systematise potential slots of the frame using substantive hyperonyms found in dictionary explanations. The frame structure consists of three levels of different types of abstraction. The most abstract level is represented by potential slots (potential predications) followed by default (standard) values and contextual fillers (concrete predications). Revealing of potential slots as the first stage of any frame analysis is also the most important one. The result of reduction of hypero-nomic types can be represented as a list of sensible relevant questions that can be then transformed into semantic groups of potential predications. The differences between potential slots point out those of structures of the analysed frames. It is supposed that the differences will be seen more clearly after the analyses of contextual fillers and default values. As a conclusion, the analytical model of the matrix-frame of tolerance is represented. The highest types of hyperonyms of the three frames can be represented with the lexemes action, state, condition, situation. They serve as the basis for the relevant questions that correlate with the potential slots of the frames under study. Constructing the matrix-frame model is the most important part of the frame semantics research since this model is the basis of the following study of the concrete actualizations and default values of the frame tolerance.

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