Semantic compatibility and construction of the denominative relative clause "in the spirit"

Sun' Tszin Postgraduate student, the department of Russian Language and Literature, Far Eastern Federal University; Educator, Hebei University of Science and Technology 690091, Russia, Primorskii Krai oblast', g. Vladivostok, poselok Ayaks,10, korpus 8, kv. 905 594899458@qq.com

The expansion of the system of official vocabulary is a natural and rapid process in the modern Russian language. Particularly acute in this process is the emergence of a variety of lexical formations, which in some ways resemble particles, conjunctions and prepositions, and in others – full-fledged parts of speech. Such units in Russian studies are traditionally called "derived nameless prepositions".

Recently, there has been a tendency in modern linguistics to use a new term "nameless relativ", which represents units of nameless origin that perform functions similar to prepositions, but not similar to them ^{[8, p. 12]}. This term, according to linguists, allows to compare by similar features special service formations that have a clear functional similarity with production prepositions, and on the other hand, retain a connection at the lexical and semantic level with the name.

Before the appearance of the term "nameless relativ", the topic of the study of derivative prepositions was devoted to the works of such linguists as A.M. Finkel, E.T. Cherkasov, M.A. Leonenko, G.A. Shiganova, M.I. Konyushevich, etc. Modern linguistic reality dictates its own rules, so there is a need to create a new term. The works of such scientists as E.S. Sheremetyeva, E.N. Agashin, M.V. Artemyenko reveal in many ways the specifics of the named relatives ^{[1, 2, 8]}.

The object of this study is the nameless relativ "in the spirit". The subject of the study is to determine the construction of this relativ, its semantic compatibility with other linguistic units.

The purpose of the study is to identify semantic and constructive features of the nameless relativ "in the spirit" on the basis of the analyzed language material.

The scientific novelty of this phenomenon lies in the fact that the nameless relativ "in spirit" from the point of view of semantic compatibility and construction is considered for the first time.

The relativ studied in this article is recognized as one of the "youngest" in terms of its recognition as an official part of speech. Based on the analysis of contexts, it was observed that the subject of speech with the help of the relativ "in spirit" tries to characterize the essence of an event, an activity or its product. At the same time, the speaker, as a rule, establishes a certain correspondence to the phenomenon that is already fixed in the consciousness of society ^[3].

In order to analyze the specifics of the nameless relativ "in the spirit", we analyzed 135 contexts of various topics from the media sources recorded in the National Corpus of the Russian language in the period from 2000 to 2019. First of all, we were interested in the connectives where the relativ "in spirit" occurs in different variants of semantic compatibility. 

In the process of using the relativ "in the spirit", the subject of speech correlates one phenomenon with the signs of another, forming a two-term construction "phenomenon 1 + in the spirit + phenomenon 2". The second phenomenon thus goes through the process of typing and becomes a standard, a model, a sample. It is worth noting that in the process of establishing correspondences, the subject of speech focuses on the essential characteristics of the sample and the phenomenon that needs to be characterized ^[10].

Here are examples of contexts where this trend can be traced:She always read novels in the spirit of Voltaire for a long time and with tears in her eyes [lenta.ru , 2018.12.14]; Houses in this city were built in the spirit of the Victorian era [Izvestia, 2012.09.13]; We were brought up in the spirit of collectivism, and this word causes rejection [L. Stack. Together faster, 2018]; He ordered a ban on selling peasants, which was absolutely in the spirit of ostentatious hypocrisy [N. Tsimbaev, History of Russia of the 19th century, 2011] ^[9].

In the process of analyzing the material of the NCRE, where the nameless relativ "in the spirit" was encountered, it was noted that this lexical unit can characterize a certain limited range of activities. For example, social, political, moral and ethical, creative, cultural, behavioral.

Considering the construction of the relativ "in the spirit" and its semantic compatibility, we rely on the model proposed by E.S. Sheremetyeva, who believes that such a construction should include two parallel terms (left and right) and one common, that is, consist of three components ^[10]. Such a construction is distinguished by a linear structure in which the left and right components are located around the named relativ.

The analysis of the materials of the NCRA showed that, to a greater extent, the left component of the construction with the relativ "in spirit" calls the product of activity, its type or event. The right component is responsible for the expression of a typed phenomenon, which is reflected in the minds of native speakers as a model or sample.

Let's take a closer look at the lexical and semantic composition of the left component of constructions with the nameless relativ "in the spirit". After analyzing the examples of contexts, we came to the conclusion that the left component in most cases is represented by verbal vocabulary, which can be divided into the following semantic groups:

1.                  Contexts where the left component is formed using object-directed action verbs.

A) Contexts with verbs with the meaning of physical, moral, intellectual creation are allocated to a separate subgroup:We have long wanted to make a show in the spirit of "Let's get married" [TV, NKRYA];Creating poetry in the spirit of Pushkin has become a fashionable trend [razg.]; It is better to design stands for advertising in the spirit of the old time [lenta.ru, 2019.06.11]; All these books were written in the spirit of American cinema [Alexey Pomerantsev. Fashion for cinema // Novaya Gazeta, 2015.10.23];He created in the theater in the spirit of Shakespeare and was proud of it ^[9].

B) A subgroup denoting contexts with verbs and its derivatives denoting the process of education:Previously, people were brought up in the spirit of the right attitude to work [Elena Mustaeva. Issues of upbringing of past generations. Novaya Gazeta, 2014.09.14];Education of children in the spirit of freedom was banned [NKRYA];Education in the spirit of national culture always brings positive results [Alexey Lanovoy. The origins of national culture. Izvestia, 2012.04.14].

2. Contexts where the left component is formed using subject-directed action verbs.

1. The first subgroup of such verbs is formed by lexical units that are semantically related to the processes of formation or development:We hope that our further cooperation will develop in the spirit of mutual solidarity [Arguments and facts. 2001.03.23]; The works of this master are designed in the spirit of modernism of the last decades [Marina Alekanova. Modernism and reality. Novaya Gazeta, 2005.06.28]; You have been acting in the spirit of your father lately [razg.]; The program will be implemented in the spirit of educational standards of the second generation [Kommersant, NKRYA];The New Year's party was held in the spirit of the nineties [razg.].

2. This subgroup of verbs of the left component of contexts with the relativ "in spirit" is associated with verbs denoting different types of speech activity:The press service of the publication reported in the spirit of modern media about the impossibility of making such a decision [lenta.ru , 2012.11.28]; They answered me in the spirit of politicians [razg.]; Yesterday I talked to a doctor in the spirit of the famous fairy tale about the three little pigs [razg.]; We have often heard him speak about our company in the spirit of provocative relativism [Natalia Shirokaya. Businessmen are running away from reality//Moskovsky Komsomolets, 2008.04.19].

In addition to verbs, nominal vocabulary can appear in the left component of the relativ "in the spirit". As E.S. Sheremetyeva notes, non-predicative vocabulary is most often used in such contexts, which is the names of objects created by someone ^[8]. For example: poems in the spirit of Lermontov [razg.]; college in the spirit of enlightenment [Rossiyskaya Gazeta, NKRYA]; parks in the spirit of modernity [lenta.ru , 2009.06.26]; decorative box in the spirit of the early twenties [Andrey Byvach. Interesting twenties. // Moskovsky Komsomolets, 2017.06.17].

Let's take a closer look at the lexical and semantic composition of the right component of the nameless relativ "in the spirit". The right component can be:

1.                  Names that name the result of any creative activity or its direction, as well as proper names or titles of literary works, films: words in the spirit of socialist realism literature, poetry in the spirit of sentimentalism, meetings in the spirit of mysticism, staging in the spirit of "War and Peace".

2.                  Names of time periods bearing historical significance, subjects who bear certain characteristics: in the spirit of Napoleon, in the spirit of Leonardo Da Vinci, in the spirit of the 45th year, in the spirit of Salvador Dali.

3.                  Abstract names capable of naming processes, phenomena and relations taking place in society: in the spirit of mutual friendship, in the spirit of cooperation, in the spirit of the theory of humanism.

After analyzing the contexts containing the right component with the nameless relativ "in the spirit", it was concluded that this component functions as a certain model, a sample, thanks to which the subject of speech distinguishes the distinctive features of the described phenomenon. An action or the result of an action also has its own signs, presented in other phenomena or situations, known for their signs ^{[7, p. 128]}.

During the analysis of the materials of the NCRA, it was revealed that the constructions with the relativ "in the spirit" differ in different ways of representing certain signs of the phenomenon. Researchers divide these methods into indirect and direct ones.

The indirect method of characterization does not imply a direct designation of a feature, but a reference to an already known and accomplished fact, as a certain type. At the same time, the subject of speech is guided by the background knowledge of the addressee ^[6]. It is important to note that the subject understands what is being discussed only in the case of full possession of background knowledge. For example, the expression "to create in the spirit of the modern era" will be understandable to the addressee who is well versed in the Art Nouveau style, that is, he will be able to imagine how the subject of the action created, what features were in this creative process.

An indirect way of representing a characteristic feature in a nameless relativ "in spirit" can be represented in several ways:

1.                  A reference to a specific event, fact, which denote proper names or unprecedented texts:She walked down the runway with her head held high, in the spirit of Naomi Campbell [lenta.ru , 2014.02.12]; during the match, the Russian team decided to relax and score a goal against the opponent in the spirit of Arshavin [razg.]. These examples demonstrate the fact that a proper name can act as a semantically loaded sign and describe the whole situation, event, as well as their signs.

2.                  A sign in the relativ "in the spirit" can be characterized through a reference to a specific event that exists in the public consciousness as a generalization of some particular facts. This method of characterization includes different directions in music, painting, philosophy, social and political life of society. For example: The key motive of this collection lies in the drawings depicted in the spirit of St. Petersburg graphics [Mikhail Khaustov. Peter's drawing // Science and Life, 1989];We looked at the fascinating Baroque buildings for a long time and were amazed by their beauty [Marina Gorelova. The trace of the Baroque era in architecture // Izvestia, 09.08.2020].

3. The third method of indirect characterization is associated with a reference not to a specific fact or event, but to a certain period of time. This method of characterization seems to be the most difficult, since the subject of speech must fully focus on the background knowledge of the addressee or know well the phenomenon to which it refers ^[5]. For example:He built a house in the spirit of that time, knowing that it would take less money [razg.]; When I went into the living room, Maria Ivanovna was playing Chopin in the spirit of the last years of his life [TV, NKRYA]. 

In addition to the above methods of indirect nomination, characterization in the nameless relativ "in spirit" can occur through the description of actions, external manifestations, gestures, facial expressions ^{[3, 5]}. In this case, there must be a mandatory correspondence between certain internal properties of the model or the selected sample.

The direct way of characterization is that the feature is indicated directly, without reference to a specific phenomenon. In this case, the attribute is the name of this phenomenon. Most often, language cliches, stamps act as a direct method: in the spirit of patriotism, in the spirit of mutual cooperation, in the spirit of the old generation, in the spirit of patriotism, etc.

E.S. Sheremetyeva notes that a direct method of characterization is impossible within the framework of the design if the left component contains the product of any activity. Sometimes, with the direct method of characterization, not only the activity is exposed, but also the approach, situation, positions, etc. ^{[8, c. 122]}.

Conclusions

The nameless relativ "in the spirit", as a rule, expresses semantics that describes the correspondence of an object, action, event or phenomenon to certain characteristics. Context analysis has shown that the relativ forms a two-term construction with a left and right component.

The lexical and semantic composition of the right and left components can be expressed in different lexical ways. The left component of the relativ "in the spirit" is more represented by verbal vocabulary, and the right one is nominal.

In the process of analyzing contexts containing the relativ "in spirit", it was also concluded that the signs described in the semantic structure of the relativ have direct and indirect ways of characterization. The indirect way is expressed through a reference to a phenomenon, an event, a historical fact. The direct method of characterization occurs without reference to a specific event.