LEXICOGRAPHIC DESCRIPTORS OF SEMANTICS OF ADJECTIVES DERIVED FROM ZOONYMS IN MODERN RUSSIAN

Abstract

The paper is focused on the study of descriptors used in lexicographic definitions of adjectives derived from zoonyms in modern Russian. On the data of two editions of the explanatory dictionary (Словарь современного русского литературного языка and Большой академический словарь русского языка) with the help of the definitional analysis it is revealed that lexicographers, first, regularly use the descriptor ‘относящийся к’ following the principle of a unified description of a general word formation meaning. Secondly, driven by the necessity to exhaustively define numerous senses of the derived words under consideration (e.g. рыбий хвост, рыбий суп, рыбий корм, рыбья натура человека, etc.), and to clarify the contextual modifications of the relation between the derived adjective and its attributed word (possession, goal, use, instrumental application, similarity, etc.) they widely apply descriptors-modifiers (‘принадлежащий’, ‘сделанный из’, ‘приготовленный из’ и др. (more than 30), which differ in frequency of their use in definitions.

Extended Abstract

This paper conducts a definitional analysis of the (дескрипторы) used in lexicographic definitions for adjectives derived from (зоонимы) in modern Russian. The investigation is based on material from two authoritative (толковые словари): the (БАС-1) and the (БАС-3), comprising a total of 449 (лексем). The primary objective is to elucidate the methods employed by (лексикографы) to describe the semantics of these (отсубстантивные прилагательные).

The analysis confirms that (лексикографы) adhere to a principle of unified description for the general (словообразовательное значение) of these (дериваты), consistently utilizing the primary (дескриптор) (относящийся к). This (дескриптор) is applied to the overwhelming majority of the analyzed adjectives, reflecting the core relational semantics established for this derivational type in standard Russian grammars. However, alongside this unifying principle, the study reveals significant diversity in lexicographic practice. Driven by the necessity to exhaustively define the numerous (контекстуальные значения) conveyed by derived words—such as (рыбий хвост), (рыбий суп), (рыбий корм), and (рыбья натура человека)—(лексикографы) widely employ more than thirty additional (дескрипторы-модификаторы).

These (дескрипторы-модификаторы) serve to specify the (контекстуальная модификация) of the relation between the adjective and the noun it modifies. Based on their semantic content, they can be categorized into two main groups. The first group, which elaborates on the general notion of (отношение), includes (дескрипторы) such as (принадлежащий), (сделанный из), (приготовленный из), (связанный с), and (предназначенный). These (дескрипторы) clarify specific relational subtypes like (посессивность), material, (цель), or (инструментативность). The second major group conveys the meaning of (подобие) or likeness, headed by the (дескриптор) (свойственный) and including (такой, как у), (напоминающий), (похожий), and (имеющий цвет).

The research demonstrates that the choice of a specific (дескриптор) is pragmatically motivated and largely predetermined by the semantics of the noun qualified by the adjective in illustrative examples. For instance, the knowledge that clothing is sewn dictates the use of (сшитый из), while references to food preparation call for (приготовленный из). Similarly, combinations with nouns denoting animal groups trigger the (дескриптор) (состоящий из). The study concludes that beyond the basic (отношение) indicated by (относящийся к), a wide spectrum of more specific relations exists. These reflect the linguistic community's encyclopedic knowledge about animal characteristics, anatomy, habitat, and, crucially, their practical applications by humans. By employing this array of (дескрипторы-модификаторы), (лексикографы) aim not only to acknowledge the general derivational connection but also to explicitly clarify the nature of the semantic link to the motivating (зооним). This practice creates a detailed informational space within the (словарная статья), facilitating accurate decoding by the user and moving beyond reliance on the predictability of meaning solely from context.