Phytonyms in the tatar and english languages: Comparative analysis

Abstract

The aim of the present paper is to compare the linguistic picture of the world in the Tatar and the English languages based on cognitive-onomasiology approach. Cognitive-onomasiology approach while analyzing phytonymic linguistic picture of the world in the given languages demonstrates motivational consideration in the native speakers' consciousness, the principles of the world's categorization. The analysis of characteristic features of phytonymic lexical items in both languages arises from certain classifying parameters: habitat, qualities, structure, function and appearance. According to the quantitative analysis of phytonymic vocabulary the largest lexico-semantic group in both languages is "Broadleaved trees". In this article the analysis of cognitive and nominative features of phytonymic lexis is also done with the help of framebased model. As a result six universal frame slots were identified: appearance characteristics, evaluative characteristics, temporal characteristics, locatives, size and quantity. The universal characteristics of phytonyms in the Tatar and the English languages are mostly peculiar to "locative" slot, but slots "appearance characteristics" and "evaluative characteristics" are of frequency-domain in analyzed languages. Phytonymic linguistic picture of the world in the Tatar and English languages coincides in many points as it corresponds a natural segmentation of reality.