LINGUISTIC PECULIARITIES OF THE ETHNOCULTURAL ASPECT IN MODERN ENGLISH

Abstract

This paper is devoted to the main fragments of the English-speaking representation of the world, being presented by linguistic peculiarities of the ethnocultural aspect in language objectification of the Russian ethnos by the British linguocultural community. Attention is focused on the attempt to investigate ethnic stereotypes that exist in people’s cognition of the world of another nation; they appear to be ethnonominations and create the specific ethnocultural image of the multinational world that influence the organization of interethnic communication: the choice of appropriate nominative units and strategic deployment of communication. The research and perception of another culture are always depicted through the prism of national values and character’s peculiarities, accordingly, the perception of the Russians, in particular, by the English supplies with the rich data for studying the English mentality. The author examines the stereotyped conception of the English about the national character and the peculiarities of the national mentality of the Russian ethnic community. The Russians are supposed to need a strong and strict leader as they have been used to following the idea of unprecedented submission to the authorities. The result asserts the fact that the positive assessment of facts, actions, or phenomena grants the object being depicted the characteristics of “own”. These are norms; ideals, and something positive that have been perceived by the society as “own” cultural values. The notions, being estimated negatively are treated as “alien” ones. Thus positive assessment is the characteristic of “own” and is taken for granted. The negative assessment is treated as “alien” and that is why undergoes some rejection. The very extralinguistic factors (political, social, and economic) determine the form of the communication of two nations: whether it is the form of a dialogue or a conflict. It is postulated the idea that the dominant features of national characters of the representatives of other cultures are turned out by the English into definite stereotypes that are stable formations not always correspond to the true state. In the situations of interethnic relations, the process of communication is being conducted based on identification and distancing strategies. These strategies regulate communicative actions of speakers with the possible assignment of explicit or implicit appraisal or description.