Associative experiment is an effective method of research of the national character (on the material of tatar and Russian liguistic cultures)

Abstract

In article is considered one of productive methods of research of national character - associative experiment. On example of results of free associative experiment for words-stimulus tui and svadba (wedding) among native speakers of Tatar and Russian languages authors reflected the hierarchy of values and preferences of bearers of these linguistic cultures. Choice of the weddding concept is stipulated by the fact that the wedding is an integral element of culture of any nation, in this conception find their reminiscences of superstitions and pagan ritualism, speculations about a man, family, children, continuity of generations and sense of existence. In life of Turkic people tui (wedding), beside all said above is a concept that fixes transient stages of human life cycle, and only them have three weddings of life - gomernen üch tue: bebi tue (literary, the wedding of a baby), yashlek tue (literary, the wedding of a youth), keshe gomerenen songy tue (literary, the last wedding in a man's life), that are symbolizing birth, marriage and ritual of farewell ceremony of paying the last respects. This peculiarity of Tatar language consciousness is clearly detected at comparison study that also allowed us to detect that in Tatar nation consciousness the lexical unit tui is characterized by larger index of metaphoric diffuseness, dynamics of development and nominative density, than svadba in language picture of Russian nation, for example, baka tue (literary, wedding of frogs), unish tue (literally, harvest wedding), xezmet tue (literary, wedding of labor) etc. Presence of answers like üi tue (literary, wedding of the house), saban tue (literary, wedding of the meadow) in native speakers of Tatar language points at such additional sense shade in understanding of lexical unit tui, as ceremonial event. With regard of peculiarities of Russian language consciousness, on the assumption of the fact of higher frequency of joy (4.8% of Russian speaking respondents and 1.7% of Tatar speaking respondents) and happiness (8% and 2%) reactions among questioned of Russian nationality can be made a conclusion about more emotional perception of lexical unit svadba by Russians. One more defining feature of Russian perception of lexical unit svadba is its close connection with such concepts as marriage and wedlock. Associative experiment allowed to disclose connotation emotionally and value loaded component of meaning of lexical units tui and svadba, detect conceptions and notations, most substantial for language consciousness of Tatar and Russian nations.