The semantics of the adverb po-domashnemu (homely): evaluative and national-cultural components

Ruzha Ol'ga Aleksandrovna ORCID: 0009-0000-0698-9073 PhD in Philology Associate Professor; Department of Modern Russian Language and Teaching Methods; Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University 633121, Russia, Novosibirsk region, Sokur village, block 4, 1, sq. 2 off_17@mail.ru

Introduction

Comparative adverbs (see Russian Grammar, 1980 ^{[1, p. 702]}), despite the close interest of researchers in them, still remain insufficiently studied in semantic and lexicographic aspects. This is what E. V. says in his works. Ogoltseva (2000) ^[2], L. P. Razuvaeva (2015) ^[3], N. M. Devyatova (2016, 2020, 2022) ^[4]; ^[5]; ^[6], M. N. Krylova (2023) ^[7] and others, for example, cf.: "Adverbs with a prefix did not constitute a separate subject of research. <...> The difficulties of studying such units are due to the fact that the relationships in each pair turn out to be unique" ^{[5, p. 65]}.

These adverbs are practically not reflected in explanatory dictionaries, because, according to N.M. Devyatova, they do not form a homogeneous group ^[4]. Nevertheless, in some dictionaries they are presented, albeit inconsistently, without taking into account lexical and grammatical specifics (The Great Academic Dictionary (2006), the New Dictionary of the Russian Language T. F. Russian Russian Language Synonyms Dictionaries (Dictionary of Synonyms of the Russian Language, 2011; Trishin, 2013)). In these dictionaries, the interpretation of comparative adverbs is not the same, which is due to the special lexical and grammatical nature of this word. In some cases, a reference to the adjective is made: in an adult way <– adult; childish <– children's; at home <– domestic, in others – to a comparative turn with a noun: 'like an adult'; 'like a child '; 'like a house'. This is due to the complex semantics of comparatively comparable adverbs, the discrepancy between formal and semantic motivation ^[1]; ^[8], the presence of comparative semantics fixed in the formant according to him/her ^[2]. The comparative semantics of these adverbs, however, is not limited to the meaning of the corresponding turns ^[6]. It seems important that the meaning of a comparative adverb includes not only a denotative component, but also a metaphorical component, as well as connotative components that should be more clearly formulated.

Related to this are the semantic features of the adverb at home. The adverb does not have a relative meaning, in which the adjective is most often used. Thus, formal signs are inherited from the adjective home. It is considered to be a relative adjective, but contextual analysis gives a completely different picture. Nevertheless, the main substantive component of the semantics of an adverb is inherited from the meaning of a noun. Due to the complexity and multilayered meanings inherent in the noun house, an adverb can have a set of signs referring to the concept of HOME, which allows it to act as a generalizing word: Everything is peaceful, homely: a summer morning, the rustle of trees, the chirping of birds (N. Hagen-Thorn. Memoria) or predicate with the pronoun everything (everything is at home - 48 uses according to the portrait of the word NKRYA): This time everything was at home (V. Shapko. Cargo, what is it slide and sticky?).

In the context of homely, one of the signs contained in the statement can either be actualized, and the explanatory, clarifying character can be considered the prerogative of grammatical semantics, or due to the stereotyping of the sign itself: Everything is homely, everything is very appetizing, and pasta, lasagna and other yummy from the Apennines are considered almost the best in the world the city (A. Shigapov. Bangkok and Pattaya. Travel guide).

In this study, it is important for us, through the analysis of contextual material, to characterize the semantics of the adverb in a homely way, tracing its semantic connections with the adjective domashny and the noun dom and discovering inherited semes, as well as to identify evaluative semes in the semantic structure of the analyzed word, to confirm the previously stated hypothesis ^[9] that in the meaning of a number of comparative adverbs are dominated by connotative meanings. It is worth noting that there are no similar adverbs in other languages.

The research material was a sample from the National Corpus of the Russian language (the volume of the material is 680 text fragments). The study used contextual and conceptual analysis.

The study of the semantics of adverbs at home can be used to complement the lexicographic description of comparative adverbs.

The semantics of the adverb at home: the lexicographic aspect

To identify the family inherited by the adverb at home, let's turn to the interpretation of the adjective home.

In the Dictionary of the Russian language (hereinafter – MAS), the word domashny has 6 lexical and semantic variants, which are interpreted as relative ^[10]. In the Large Academic Dictionary (hereinafter – BAS) there are 5 similar meanings, but in the first there are several shades, among which one allows you to qualify the adjective as qualitative: "Cozy, habitable, well-maintained (about housing, settlement, etc.). Valley is a small, green, cozy and some very homely town. Baruzd. Of course" ^[11]. It can be said that in two more lexical and semantic variants, the word home develops a qualitative meaning, as evidenced by the illustrative material. So, in the BASS examples, the qualitative shades of meaning are presented more clearly: A short old man came out to meet us, there are many of them in any village. His home (Here and further in the dictionary materials highlighted by us. – O.R.) beshmet was badly worn. Tikhon. The heart of the mountains; In another [portrait] he [Derzhavin] appears before us completely at home: an ordinary morning robe, a greasy cap on his head. Sun. Christmas. The bard of his era ^[11]. The statement indicates the characteristic features of a homemade beshmet (shabbiness) and clarifies what is meant by a homemade look (an ordinary robe, a greasy cap).

In MAC, the illustrative material also makes it possible to identify such semes, but they are less obvious, for example: [The Major] took off his boots and changed into slippers. Perventsev, Tierra del Fuego ^[10]. It can be assumed that house shoes are not just shoes designed to be worn at home, but comfortable, soft, etc., in the example they are contrasted with boots. There are many examples in the National Corpus of the Russian Language (hereinafter referred to as the NKRR) in which these semes are explicated: soft, warm, worn, trampled, etc. slippers: All things here are in their places, they are not accidental, but at the same time they are filled with symbolic meaning <...> rosaries remind of piety, slippers of comfort, a broom — about the order and purity of physical and moral life ... (S. Yeremeyeva. Lectures on the history of art).

It seems important that the qualitative semantics of the adjective is related to the meanings of the concept of HOME (see more about this ^[12]). These meanings, primarily evaluative, are not represented in the interpretation, but indirectly go back to the meaning of the noun house. Some of the meanings that we have identified in the structure of the HOUSE concept are reflected in the interpretation of the house lexeme. Thus, the second meaning of "house-dwelling" contains evaluative semes related to the functions of the house. In addition, house-housing in the aspect of space is often associated with comfort, warmth (in BAS, these semes can be seen in the first meaning of the adjective home). These components (warmth, trust, protection, etc.) appear in the semantics of the word home when it comes to family, close people (3 meaning). Many of these in the meaning of the word home can be attributed to dispositional, recreating the ideal image: comfort, warmth, protection, hospitality, etc. Let's assume that this is where the positive assessment in the semantics of the adverb at home originates.

The meaning of the adverb at home, recorded in dictionaries, does not reflect all the connotations that are explicated in the context. So, in the BASS, the analyzed word has one lexical meaning:"At home, adverb. Razg. As is customary at home. Make yourself at home. - It's a pleasure, you're welcome! – My father said joyfully. - Excuse me, I'm at home, without a frock coat. A. Chekhov. Boys. The tsar met the messengers simply, at home - in a blue silk shirt, belted with a colorful Tatar sash. Crutch. Ivan the Terrible" ^[11]. It is motivated by the meaning of the producing noun, and in the examples one can note qualitative shades concerning the appearance of a person: at home - without a frock coat or simply in a blue silk shirt belted with a colorful Tatar sash, i.e. informally.

In the dictionary of T. F. Ephraim's analyzed lexeme has the following interpretation: "At home, adverb. qualities.- they are. Section 1. As it is customary, as it should be at home. 2. transfer. Simply, at ease" ^[13]. In this case, a qualitative value appears, marked with a pen mark. The description of the figurative meaning uses a synonymous way of interpreting the word through the adverb simply.

In the dictionaries of synonyms, the word at home is included in such rows: without ceremony, without ranks, domestically, easily, as is customary at home, in a casual, everyday way, in a simple way, simply, as at home ^[14]. In the dictionary of synonyms by Z. E. Alexandrova, the adverb at home is easily included in the row with the dominant: 1. simply, without ceremony, at home; without ranks, without being dignified (obsolete); 2. see easily 1 ^[15]. The semes of 'simplicity', 'ease', 'non-formality' are nuclear, combining elements of a synonymous series.

For adjectives, the presence of synonyms is considered a sign of belonging to the category of qualitative ones, the same can be said with respect to adverbs. The elements of the synonymic series actualize the connotative shades of the meaning of the adverb at home.

Explication of evaluative semes in the semantic structure of an adverb at home

By explicating certain meanings of the lexeme at home in an utterance, the speaker relies on existing stereotypes about the house, its atmosphere, the behavior of residents and their appearance, habits, manner of speech, etc. In our ideas, the home environment assumes a lack of formality in relationships, simplicity and convenience of home clothes and shoes, furnishings, allows negligence, that is, while at home, a person is less formal, he seems to deviate from the accepted norm of behavior outside the home, but at the same time corresponds to another norm, the observance of which is dictated by the home space and the environment. The everyday appearance of the hero, his untidiness is assessed by the speaker as a sign of home, acceptable: Waffle chocolate chips and beads of sweat hung on his chin. Very homely (A. Starobinets. Family). Outside the house, a person follows the rules more: She was told specifically not to dress up and behave as usual, at home (N. Klimontovich. The paradox of the European). Peripheral semes are actualized in the statements, because a sloppy appearance does not correspond to the norm outside the home.

Often the speaker feels the need to explain the actualized semes through a number of signs indicated in the context in order to be understood. Here is N. M.'s remark. Devyatova on other comparatively comparable adverbs: "The analysis of adverbs in a human and human way allowed us to identify the boundaries of their compatibility. It is in combination with specific words that their culturally significant semantics are manifested" ^{[1, p. 68]}. Let's compare examples concerning the dialect at home: The ceiling is old sooty beams, the chandeliers are crystal, the furniture is like in a factory dining room. They cook at home. The portions are large (A. Smirnova, M. Baker, O. Grinkrug. Amsterdam); Children are accommodated in cozy rooms, have all the necessary amenities, are provided with high-calorie and delicious homemade food (Z. Minina. Creative workshops). The semantic shades of the adverb are diverse at home, therefore they require clarification. So, in the examples, food is evaluated, at first glance, in the same way, but the speaker, in order to explicate the necessary meanings, introduces an explanation into the statement: homemade - delicious, large portions, high–calorie food, etc. Thus, we are talking about the explication of not only culturally significant semantics, but also evaluative semes in relation to the norm.

1. Both ways of actualizing this do not contradict each other and often follow one from the other. According to E. V. According to Ogoltseva, they are aimed "at reviving the basic, comparative derivational value. This is facilitated primarily by the use of comparative units in one (neighboring) utterances that differ in structure, object of figurative characteristics, and syntagmatic environment" (Ogoltseva E. V. Figurative potential of the word-formation system of the modern Russian language (substantive word formation): abstract of the dissertation of the Doctor of Philology, M., 2007). Cases of independent use of an adverb at home are rare, most often the speaker feels the need to explain his thought.

The role of context in the actualization of peripheral assessment systems

Space, relationships between people, their behavior, appearance, food, etc. are evaluated using the adverb at home. The analysis of the materials of the NCRA allowed us to identify a number of peripheral semes in the semantic structure of this word.

The explication of certain evaluative semes is influenced by the broad combinability abilities of the studied adverb ^[9]; ^[16]. The explanation of semantics, according to the NCRA, often occurs at the expense of other adverbs cozy (26), good (15), simple (14), warm (14), calm (13), easy (9), quiet (7), tasty (6), relaxed (6), affectionate (5), cute (5), peaceful (5), etc. or adjectives cozy (14), cute (10), calm (9), simple (7), gray (5), etc. Sometimes the explanatory component, due to its grammatical and semantic characteristics, does not explicate specific semes, but only indicates the degree of manifestation of the feature, its intensity: completely (41), somehow (38), completely (15), somewhat (6), etc.

Verbs, which are defined by the adverb at home, allow you to clarify, concretize human activity: you can be (97) at home in some way, you can look this way at the expense of clothes (dress (44), look (13), etc.) or poses, movements (sit (11), stand (5), settle down (5), get settled (5); seem (6); go out (7), walk (6), etc.). Feelings (feel (6)), human communicative activity (say (21), talk (8), ask can have a homely assessment (7), to call (5), to name (5); to accept (7), to smile (5), etc.). In this regard, verbs of speech-thinking activity are especially distinguished. The home space or activity in the house receives such a characteristic less often: smelling (6), cooking (3), etc.

Further, the presentation of the material is subject to the following logic: it was noticed that certain semes are associated with a certain situation in which the speaker finds himself, thus, when describing them, we will determine the situations in which they are explicated.

As noted earlier, in the explanatory dictionary of T. F. Ephraim highlights a figurative meaning containing the semes of 'simple', 'without pretensions, pretentiousness', 'ordinary' ^[13]. These semes are actualized in the contexts characterizing human behavior: The new resident of Zarechny straightened his tie and went to visit the poet right in his vest, in a friendly, homely way (V. Astafyev. Or his appearance, clothes: She was dressed at home - in a funny terry–cloth robe with green bunnies, and this half-childish outfit made her indecently young (V. Pelevin. S.N.U.F.F).

The semes ' comfortably ', ' calmly ', ' reliably ' can be explicated in a statement with a characteristic of space: The pillars of the bridge, together with the arches, were reflected in the perfectly smooth surface of the water, – the view was homely and at the same time majestic (R. Romanov. Vom caminho, or Pilgrims on the Way of St. James); – I was very impressed by the mountains, forests. It is very beautiful and somehow cozy, homely ... (Y. Butsik. On the eve of the anniversary).

Semes are 'groundlessly ', 'reliably' explicated in situations of describing space, its development: Each writer, as a rule, came to Maleevka with a large amount of work and settled here thoroughly, at home (A. Gorodnitsky. "And still live in hope").

In the semantic structure of the motivating noun home, the meaning of "family" is highlighted and the adverb inherits the potential semes of "warm", "hospitable" and implements them in a situation of positive assessment of relations between people: Poland is a good neighbor: they will be accepted at home here! (Poland is a good neighbor: they will receive you at home here!); For a moment he caught the eye of Krymov, who was sitting nearby, and, smiling sweetly, at home, said to him (V. Grossman. Life and destiny).

The actualization of this 'tasteless', 'delicious', 'delicious' by means of an adverb at home occurs when describing food: Borscht turned out to be delicious at home, I enjoyed the food, but this did not prevent me from tormenting myself with the question: what does this woman want? (A. Kirilin. Kilometer zero).

There are examples in which the explicit semantics do not correspond, at first glance, to the meanings contained in the concept of HOME: "But I do not have a boss," he smiled again, but in a different way, somehow very homely, defenseless, "I am the boss (M. Galina. Welcome to our beautiful country!). The defenselessness of a smile contradicts the protective function of the house, but is understandable to a native speaker who interprets the adverb in a homely way through synonyms simply, sincerely.

The adverb at home can be assessed as situations when a person is at home, in his usual space and atmosphere, and outside it: Inside it was dry, surprisingly warm and for some reason homely, although the huge size of the hall least resembled those modest forty square meters in two and a half rooms, what I used to call home (E. Pankratova. The Angel of the attic window) / These flowers and cacti make the museum feel homely (M. Baru. Castle with music); [re-D-rum] Every frame breathes good, everything is shot comfortably and at home (Forum: Love and pigeons). In the last two examples, space is reinterpreted metaphorically. In the picture of the world of a native speaker, such a situation is quite frequent: a speaker can call any non–domestic space home - a job, a hotel room, a compartment in a train carriage, etc. This also shows the influence of the concept of HOME on the semantics of the studied adverb.

The national-cultural component in the semantics of the adverb at home

The semes that are actualized when using the adverb at home in different situations in Russian are transmitted in other languages in separate words containing a particular component. For example, in English, the expressions homely, in house are used, or the attitude to the comfort of home that needs to be created, done (make it look homely) is directly indicated: Meredith's assured me she's not going to press charges. We can handle it quietly, inhouse | Meredith has assured me that she is not going to press charges against you, so we can resolve this quietly, at home (Michael Crichton. Disclosure | Michael Crichton. Exposure (I. Utkin)); I got other things, cases and a lot of art books and some novels to make it look homely, which it finally did | I also bought bookshelves, all sorts of books on art, even a few novels to make everything look cozy, homely. And so it turned out in the end (John Fowles. The Collector | J. Fowles. Collector (I. Bessmertnaya)). In Italian, a specific situation is also indicated using different language units: In effetti, tutto era successo con tale naturalezza, come in famiglia... | Indeed, everything happened so easily, at home ... (A. Kurkov. The law of the snail | Andrej Kurkov. I Pinguini non vanno in vacanza (Bruno Osimo)); Il dottore era in veste da camera… | The Doctor was dressed at home... (Alessandro Manzoni. I promessi sposi | A. Manzoni. The betrothed (G. Smirnov)) As can be seen from the examples given, in each case a variety of means are used that correspond to the situation: when talking about relationships, the speaker chooses an indication of a place, for example, in house in English, or compares it with a typical situation – come in famiglia (as in a family) in Italian. In English, Italian and other languages, a native speaker is forced to use a linguistic unit with a specific meaning, to accurately explicate the necessary feature. There is no analogue to Russian comparatively comparable adverbs, in particular, the homely lexeme, which has a multi-layered semantics, in other languages.

Conclusion

A comparatively homely adverb, as the analysis shows, easily develops evaluative meanings, as a rule, which are not reflected in dictionaries. The assessment implemented in a statement with an adverb at home, while maintaining a positive sign, varies significantly, actualizing the semes of 'simple', 'without pretensions, pretentiousness', 'usual', 'groundless', 'reliable', 'warm', 'hospitable', 'tasteless', 'generous', 'inexperienced' depending on the situation and a certain context. So, the situation of "food" is associated with satiety and taste, the situation of "communication" is with warmth and hospitality, "appearance" is with simplicity and informality, ordinariness, etc. The prerequisites for the realization of the evaluative meaning are laid down in the structure of comparative adverbs, and a private assessment is inherited partly from the motivating adjective, although it practically does not have an evaluative value in dictionaries, only attention to illustrative material and shades of meaning allow you to see their presence in this part of speech.

It was found that evaluative meanings are embedded in the concept of HOME and feature words, as a result, the semantics of the adverb at home is characterized by complexity, layering, ideomatics. The actualization of one or another evaluative meaning from a possible complex occurs due to the dependence of the homely word on context and consituation. In the context, the type of motivation is influenced by both the semantics of the main word and the frequently occurring explanatory words and constructions.

In other languages, there is no analogue of the Russian comparative-comparative adverb at home, which has a multifaceted evaluative semantics, the implementation of which is related to the context, which is the unique national and cultural component of the meaning of such words.