CC BY
7LINGUISTICS
УДК 81
© М.В. Ласкова
доктор филологических наук, профессор Южный федеральный университет Ростов-на-Дону, Россия perevod.ros@rambler.ru
TO THE PROBLEM OF CONTEMPORARY GENDER INTERPRETATION
[LaskovaM.V. К вопросу о современной интерпретации категории рода]
The article considers the problem of gender interpretation. Taking into consideration the gender linguistics achievements it is possible to specify methodological preconditions which can facilitate to create a meta language of ethnolinguistics depiction. For the gender of personal nouns as opposed to associative criterion parts of speech, semantics and pragmatics dominate, though combinative possibilities of gender noun forms can not be excluded from the characteristic features of the object. The category of gender is extremely important for forming grammar peculiarity of a noun and closely connected with other categories and most of all with the categories of number and animateness. At the same time the role of derivative female nouns is really important: their peculiarity allows them to be used widely for the expression of emotional, aesthetic and ethical estimations.
Key words: gender, male, female, category, semantics, paradigm.
The theory of morphological categories in more consistent and complete way (together with phonology) was offered by structuralism. Morphological facts were a basic foundation for structuralist language theories as autonomous system of meaningful oppositions. The necessity of paradigm changing and transaction to more sophisticated integrative level is known to come up when the hypothesis is put forward concerning more profound grounds of the core of language object interpretation. Taking into consideration the gender linguistics achievements it' s possible to specify methodological preconditions which can facilitate to create a meta language of ethnolinguistics depiction. As V. Telia noted "Concept content of this meta language should provide the opportunity to operate the data of two knowledge domain interaction - culture and natural language using the unified methodological ground" [2].
Gender peculiarities in the language are revealed both on the system level and the usage one. As for system there are different asymmetries, the dissemination of
"including" principle, semantic lacunas. As for the usage these are mass (or individual) preferences, defined by the set of cultural and social factors.
Modern conceptual challenge issued in the Grammar theory can be characterized as a result from the straight-line formalization being a main instrument of the language facts delivering. Therefore we face the refusal from the strict limits in language phenomena structuring. Analyzing personal female and male nouns we tried to avoid univariate interpretations and inflexible limited lines. On the whole as the language material demonstrated, monosemantic equivalence, absolutely precise recommendations which concern the sphere of gender correlations in modern language aren't possible. But it doesn't mean that norm is endlessly variable in this sphere without defining factors (cultural, social, cognitive, pragmatic, communicative), which determine the choice of language means. Gender approach allows to comprehend and cognize different patterns of norms by means of intellectual intuition marking purposeful preferences.
The most applicable estimation of the dual gender correlates is given by P. Bitsilly: " There are no words which can be good or bad. The more opportunity of choice the more difficult it is. But in this case the merit of a person who had made the choice is more rewarded" [1]. Thorough analysis of correlates will stimulate more adequate use of gender forms in accordance with pragmatic functions of speech and pragmatic range of these very forms. The facts of the language material reveal that the difference of gender forms are not only connected with semantic content but also with stylistic characteristics (vernacular, conversational or neutral) and pragmatic ones (difference in degree of respect, politeness, correct attitude to the named person).
It's representative that neutralization of vernacular, conversational elements isn't the sign of contemporary discourse: for the language awareness the difference in the expressions доктор-докторша-докгорица is absolutely distinctive. The breadth of definite profession spreading doesn't influence these characteristics (but, of course, in diachrony we can mark the fact that irrregular models appeared to be regular).
The suffix formations of such a type don't correspond to codification norms of correctness, but they are directly connected with the functional varieties of communication and pragmatic purposes. It appears to be that such factors as personal and nonpersonal communication can define relevance/ Irrelevance of female suffix formations. Even substandard words relevant to system norm words like "врачиха" can
correspond to communicative or situational norms against the background of literary codification norm. So to admit the fact of masculinization or feminization of the Russian language isn't scientifically grounded. To come to such a conclusion could be possible if there weren't any female correlates ( or too few) - masculinization; or there were female correlates as many as male one's - feminization.
Considering grammar regular occurrences of speech we can't but take into account that a speaker starts speaking having definite communicative intentions. He has a leg to stand on pragmatic, sociocultural and psychological facts, specifying discourse. To express the author's intentions all grammar elements can be included as well as gender forms of different parts of speech. Being a grammar category demonstrating sign nature, gender has such common features as semantics, syntactics and pragmatics. So, the linguistic description of the considered category is impossible without interaction and cohesion of all these aspects.
For the gender of personal nouns as opposed to associative criterion parts of speech, semantics and pragmatics dominate, though combinative possibilities of gender noun forms can not be excluded from the characteristics ( compare examples when in the Russian language it is impossible to use adjectives of male gender, that is the fact that is considered to be a norm today: хорошенькая врач, but not хорошенький врач about a woman. The analysis of semantics of personal nouns gender obviously demonstrates the principle of the language asymmetry dualism as one unit of the expression plan can correlate to several units of content plan and vice-versa the absence of isomorphism of expression and content plans. That's why choosing the most adequate means of expression we should take into consideration all factors: referential (denotative) correlation, communicative aim and pragmatic situation. The category of gender is extremely important for forming grammar peculiarity of a noun and closely connected with other categories and most of all with the categories of number and animateness. This connection is realized not only in the unique system of flexions but in those correspondences which are obligatory for common sense expressions (for example, forms of male gender are aimed at generality meaning expression in combination with singular of the noun in generalized pattern and forms of male gender and plural in patterns without generality sign).
Gender category of animated nouns can be characterized as privative opposition with the marked female gender; the word usage of the last decade (it is becoming topical to use male nouns without gender differentiation) proves the stability of this
opposition at full extent with its explanatory power. The suffix derivative female nouns are out of neutral personal professional nominations sphere. So, it means that this opposition is turning to be equipollent. At the same time the role of derivative female nouns is really important: their peculiarity allows them to be used widely for the expression of emotional, aesthetic and ethical estimations.
In the language of recent decades there has been leveling of stylistic and semantic differences influenced by the collapse of the official language of the Soviet era, there were no authoritative samples (or their role decreased). This led to the emergence of more sophisticated palette of emotiveness in female correlates. Use of paired names of masculine and feminine assumes a high level of communicative competence, which allows to decrypt semantic associations or connotations - those elements of pragmatists who connected with the word reflection of the cultural beliefs and traditions. That is why in modern interpretations of grammatical gender the category with communicative and pragmatic sides, consideration of its functions in the text as the embodiment of authorial intention are widely discussed.
Gender, especially in the sphere of personal nouns is not "parasitic concept" imposed by language and eliminated in the course of progressive evolution, gender is a category perceived as a reflection of the natural order of things, with its own "linguacreative" strength and rich figurative- expressive features.
Research in a gender perspective opens up new approaches to understanding the essence of grammatical oppositions. When one Bulgakov's character (a woman) says about herself: заведующий, and the other (male) corrects her and says заведующая, it is manifested different gender stereotypes (the old Russia and the Soviet Russia). Reliance on the idea of normativity/profanity, even with all the modifications -communicative concepts, situational, vertical standards it is unlikely to comprehend and adequately describe such phenomena. Emotionally expressive properties of the category of gender are not significant. Consideration of the same category with the kind of products of Genderology, in our view, has real explanatory power.
It is known that grammatical semantics initially has studied mainly units of the system (for example, the content of the category of gender of nominative personal nouns) , then - the behavior and interaction of these units in the text (different types of functional grammars . Obviously, it is time to take the next step: to introduce grammatical semantics in close connection with the whole complex of extralinguistic factors that (though indirectly) are reflected in the functioning of
grammatical forms. Language, as a system of symbolization of experience and a treasure trove of information, reflects and reinforces in their units definite connections and relations between realities. Exploring the nature of meaningful categories of gender, different ways of representing gender, can get an idea about the elements of the worldview. That includes gender that can help to decipher what is called cultural and social codes of civilization. Study of grammatical category of gender in terms of Genderology is another way to escape the linguistic isolationism of integral view of the nature of language, which is an objective reality, in connection with all the manifestations of the human spirit.
ЛИТЕРАТУРА
1. Бицилли П.М. Литературные заметки // Избр. тр. по филологии. М., 1996.
2. Лазарев В.А. Морфологические категории: антропоцентрический и лин-гвокультурологический аспекты интерпретации. Ростов-на-Дону, 2009.
3. Ласкова М.В. Грамматические категории рода в аспекте гендерной лингвистики. Ростов-на-Дону, 2001.
4. Телия В.Н. Первоочередные задачи и методологические проблемы исследования фразеологического состава языка в контексте культуры // Фразеология в контексте культуры. М., 1999.
REFERENCES
1. Bitsilli P.M. Literary Notes // Selected works on Philology. M., 1996.
2. Lazarev V.A. Morphological categories: anthropocentric and linguacultural aspects of interpretation. Rostov-on-Don, 2009.
3. Laskova M.V. Grammatical category of gender in terms of gender linguistics. Rostov-on-Don, 2001.
4. Telia V.N. Priorities and methodological problems in the study of idiomatic language in a cultural context // Phraseology in the context of culture. M., 1999.
_January, 12, 2014
