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Orientational Metaphor in Russian and Chinese Languages
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DOI: 10.26170/po19-04-14
Abstract: In Chinese and Russian cultures, there are specific spatial language guidelines and rules for the use of space in interpersonal communication. In cross-cultural communication, the divergence of spatial language vectors can lead to a conflict of languages and cultures. The study of spatial metaphors in the Russian and Chinese languages can serve as a way to avoid misunderstanding in language translation. The aim of this study is to identify the spectrum of spatial models of the world division on the example of language metaphors in Chinese and Russian languages. The authors of the study on the material of the Russian and Chinese languages considered spatial metaphors that reflect both General and cultural-specific features of the worldview of representatives of the two linguistic cultures. The analysis revealed productive types of spatial orientation: top — down, right — left, inclusive — exclusive. Material two languages has identified the following match associated with a spatial orientation concepts. This “top” — “bottom”, “left” — “right”. These coincidences are explained by similar associative orientation of creative thinking of native speakers of two languages. In both Chinese and Russian, the concepts of “more”, “joy”, “high social status”, “consciousness” are oriented upwards, and the opposite concepts of “less”, “low social status”, “sadness”, “unconscious state” are oriented downwards. At the same time, the verbalization of the surrounding reality is characterized by national and cultural identity, due to a number of extra-and intralinguistic reasons. The universal model “right — left” in both national pictures of the world is realized in different conceptual vectors. Analysis of these ethno-linguistic differences helps to identify the characteristic for each language to a unique “world picture”, to clarify the nature of cross-cultural discrepancies and work-abilities in crossrcultural communication.
Key words: Russian language; Chinese; comparative linguistics; cognitive semantics; spatial metaphors; linguistic culturology; intercultural communication.
For citation
Zhang, V. Orientational Metaphor in Russian and Chinese Languages / V. Zhang, S. A. Eremina // Pedagogical Education in Russia. – 2019. – №4. – P. 107-111. DOI 10.26170/po19-04-14.