POSTMODERN TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE CONCEPT UNCERTAINTY IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONSCIOUSNESS

Abstract

The article deals with the analysis of the changes in the structure of the concept UNCERTAINTY in the English language consciousness due to the recent spread of postmodernist worldview. It is proved in the paper that historically UNCERTAINTY is a communicatively relevant concept for the English language consciousness and it has a wide span of manifestations in the Englishlanguage.

Special attention is paid in the research to the peculiarities of the concept verbalization by means of the modern English language, namely in the fiction texts by the British authors. As a result of natural, historic and social conditions the concept UNCERTAINTY has become an inalienable part of the English language consciousness, which is further deepened by the influence of the recent situation in the UK. Though the universal concept UNCERTAINTY is a relatively stable cognitive entity, it is modified by current experiences in different cultures, mainly connected with the risks caused by globalization and the overall instability of the modern epoch.

The detailed investigation of factual material has revealed that the main transformation processes undergo in the “notional layer” of the above mentioned concept, which is enriched by way of employing numerous notions of postmodernism and increase in temporal and spacial spheres.

The valorative layer of the concept reflects the process of polarization as it fixes the negative attitude to the associates of the concept (expressing fear of instability as a result of the social, political and cultural crisis caused by the (post)modern epoch) or, on the contrary, positive evaluation (feeling of anticipation of the perspectives the uncertainty carries). It is stated in the article that the described changes initially take place on mental level, under the influence of extra-linguistic factors, but they are widely reflected in verbalizers of the concept.