MYTHOLOGEMIC MOTIVATION OF ENGLISH ENTOMONYMS

Abstract

Introducton. Our investigation deals with cognitive onomasiological analysis of motivational mechanisms in modern English entomological nomenclature. The relevance of this research is determined by the special need to interpret the interiorization of a peculiar insect microworld in the scientific world picture of the English people. It makes it possible to identify language sources as well as nominative techniques of designating this nomenclature system.

Purpose. Our research aims at investigating motivational mechanisms in the scope of mythologemically motivated English entomonyms.

Methods. The major method of our research is O. Selivanova’s cognitive onomasiological analysis which includes two stages – the interpretation of English entomonyms’ onomasiological structure and simulation of the fragment knowledge about an insect. This method has helped to establish regularity in English entomologists’ perception and giving names to the peculiar microworld of insects.

Results. Mythologemic motivation is characterised by nominators’ appeal exactly to the irrational as it is based on beliefs, legends, superstitions existent in ethnic consciousness. They reflect knowledge that can’t be qualified as logical and objective, but as such that are taken for granted without any evidence. These ideas exist in a folk’s mythological consciousness.

Ethnomythologemes are the language media of certain folk’s mythological ideas. Very often they derive from archetypes of the collective unconscious and correlate with such psychological functions as intuition and transcendence. In a language they are fixed in culturally marked signs that represent in particular names of entomological cultural code. Many beliefs, superstitions, legends, and tales deal with insects, that is why the choice of some entomonyms’ motivators can be modified by such a culturally significant information.

Mythologemic motivation of English entomonyms can be of propositional, metaphorical, or evaluative character. Thus, proposition that lies in the basis of mythologemically motivated English entomonyms, is non-controversial. It establishes an unverified idea.

Sometimes mythologemic motivation of English insect names can be of metaphorical nature. It is explained by the fact that a myth accumulates figurative layers and hides behind the metaphorical designations of its eventual canvas. The essence of such mythologemic motivation lies in using signs of one cultural code or concept for designating others.

Mythologemes can reflect the evaluation of certain insects by ethnic consciousness – their subdivision on useful and harmful, good-looking and ugly. Evaluation of insects derives mostly from folk beliefs and Christian mythology.

Originality. We were the first to investigate mythologemic motivation of English insect nomenclature names.

Conclusion. Mythologemic motivation of English entomonyms makes it possible to penetrate into the remote layers of folk consciousness and ascertain its reflections in the ethnic culture.