CC BY
70
LINGUOCULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ANTHROPONYMS
IN LITERARY TEXT Ramazonova Z.Ya.
Ramazonova ZebunisoYashinovna - Teacher, DEPARTMENT OF METHODOLOGY OF TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE, ENGLISH
LANGUAGE FACULTY 2, UZBEKISTAN STATE WORLD LANGUAGES UNIVERSITY, TASHKENT, REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN
Abstract: this article is written in the framework of a Linguoculturology and it analyses cognitive and linguocultural significance of anthroponyms in the English language. It provides the classification of English anthroponyms according to the factors that contributed to their emergence. Anthroponyms are considered to be linguoculturally significant language units.
Keywords: anthropocentric paradigm, linguoculturology, anthroponym, linguocultureme, culture-specific unit.
The emergence of anthropocentric paradigm which places the human at the centre in the course of research and study triggered the birth of all the cognitive sciences like cognitive psychology, cognitive philosophy, cognitive anthropology and finally, of a new branch of linguistics that can further stress the close relation between the language and the human mind - the cognitive linguistics. Cognitive linguistics studies how human thinking and perception is presented in the language. When studying language prioritizing human factor, we should not neglect culture which marks borders between different groups of humans. In V.A.Maslova's opinion, cultural linguistics, based on cultural studies, deals with the description of cultural experience and ethnic mentality that are represented in language by special cultural fractions in the meaning of language units [2]. One of the main notions of Linguoculturology is linguocultureme - a complex, interlevel language unit, a dialectical unit of both linguistic and extralinguistic factors, the correlation between the form of a verbal sign, its semantic content and cultural sense [3]. Linguoculturemes can be expressed by a great variety of language forms including words, word combinations, phraseological units, stylistic devices, syntactical structures, text fragments and even the whole text. The sources of cultural information in a linguocultureme are specific for each culture; realia, outstanding people, myths, images, beliefs, customs and traditions. In order to detect cultural units and to understand their meaning, we should have special encyclopedicknowledge (knowledge structures) - "the structured body of non-linguistic knowledge to which a linguistic unit such as a word potentially provides access..."; "blocks of information and knowledge containing a system of interrelated concepts" [1].
The emergence of acronyms was caused by certain culture-specific factors. These factors can be divided into three major groups: Influence of Historical events (invasion of neighboring countries); Influence of Religion; Influence of Literature. Anthroponyms that have arisen from external influences, namely from the invasion of England by neighboring countries:
a) Scandinavian invasion
The invasion of Scandinavians (Danish and Norwegians) to England began at the end of the 8th century and repeated for several centuries until the 11th century (in 1042 the Danish political domination) had little effect on the English anthroponimic system.The Scandinavians settled in the eastern, central and northern parts of England (the Essex region, East Anglia, part of Mersey and Northumberland) and formed the "Danish law area". They quickly adapted to the language, religion, lifestyle, traditions, and desires of the Anglo-Saxons.
b) The Norman invasion
It is well-known that a major political event - the conquest of England by the Normans living in the north of France played a great role in the development of the English language and the country. After the defeat of the Anglo-Saxons army in Gastings in 1066, the duke of Normandy was declared the king of England. Norman-French-speaking officials and clergymen were appointed to high military and religious positions.The invaders brought their anthroponyms (modern names such as HUGO, RALPH, RICHARD, ROBERT, ROGER, WILLIAM, etc.), which soon squeezed Anglosaxonian names in circulation. The development of new names became more prevalent within the ruling classes. Only a few Anglosaxoniannames remain: ALFRED, EDGAR, EDMUND, EDWARD, ETHELBERT, HILDA, MILDRED and so on.
The Impact of Religion
The influence of the Christianity, which had been prevalent in England since the 7th century, also had a great impact on the changes in the names of Anglosaxons. Pope Gregory's missionaries began to travel from Rome toward England at the end of the sixth century. With the support of the royal government they succeeded in the rapid spread of Christianity. The sources of the names of the persons were enriched with biblical names that are unknown to the indigenous population. The royal and senior officials have traditionally introduced Christian names in their homes. However, the lower classes continued to use language that was understandable to them, and the Biblical names did not take the lead in the English naming system until the end of the 16th century. To sum up all, English anthroponyms, being linguoculturemes, contain certain cultural information. The enrichment and development of English anthroponyms have been influenced by various cultural factors at different times, including the history of the country (relations with neighboring countries, the Scandinavian, the Norman invasion), literature and the prevalence of Christianity.
References
1. Ashurova D. U., Galieva M.R. Stylistics of Literary Text. Tashkent, 2013.
2. Maslova V.A. Linguoculturology / Manual for students of higher educational institutions.
Moscow: Academy, 2001.
3. Vorob 'ev V. V. Linguoculturology (theory and methods). M: The publishing House of the
People's Friendship University of Russia, 1997.
