The concept of "pride" in Russian and Chinese languages: linguocultural aspect

Van' Guangfu Postgraduate student; Faculty of Philology; Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba 117198, Russia, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 6, 700 157723746@qq.com Other publications by this author     Shabelskaya Nika Kirillovna ORCID: 0000-0002-6764-0630 Postgraduate student; Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Philology; Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba Miklukho-Maklaya str., 6, Moscow, 117198, Russia shabelskya.nk@mail.ru Other publications by this author

Shchepetov Pavel Andreevich ORCID: 0009-0006-2178-3894 Postgraduate student; Department of International Economic Relations; Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba Miklukho-Maklaya str., 6, Moscow, 117198, Russia pavel_shchepetov@mail.ru

A concept is the basic unit of human thinking, an abstraction and generalization of essential features of objective things. Being a link between language and culture, the concept is not only the core of linguistic expression, but also a carrier of cultural overtones. In different language systems, the cultural background has a profound influence on the formation and expression of concepts, reflecting the unique way each nation perceives the world. The understanding of the same concept may vary from culture to culture. In addition, the connotation of concepts is not fixed, it is constantly evolving with changes in history, society and culture, so studying the expression of concepts in language and culture not only helps to understand the worldview and values of different peoples, but also creates a theoretical basis for intercultural communication. Z.D. Popova and I.A. Sternin believe that the concept as "a discrete mental formation that is the basic unit of a person's mental code, has a relatively ordered internal structure, is the result of cognitive activity of an individual and society, and carries complex, encyclopedic information about the reflected object or phenomenon, about the interpretation of this information by public consciousness and the attitude of public consciousness to this phenomenon or subject" ^{[1, p. 24]}.

With the development of linguoculturology in Russia, the concept as a subject of research has become an important topic for study in many areas of linguistics, such as comparative linguistics and cognitive linguistics. A.V. Rudakova notes in her work that within the framework of cognitive linguistics, the concept is represented by various structural units such as frame, prototype, gestalt, scheme, script, insight and others. These units can be expressed in a language using lexemes, stable expressions, phraseological units, syntactic constructions containing typical propositions, as well as entire texts ^{[2, p. 84]}.

In the 21st century, the concept of "language –culture – man" has become one of the most sought-after research topics in linguoculturology. A person is a native speaker of a language, and culture influences his linguistic and cultural picture of the world, therefore, an increasing number of anthropological concepts are becoming the object of study by many linguists. The concept of "ethics and morality" is closely related to traditional culture, national spirit and peculiarities. L.G. Sayakhova justifies the identification of key categories "person", "language", "culture", which have become fundamental for linguoculturology and for the linguoculturological approach to language teaching ^{[3, p. 9]}. With the development of globalization, such concepts how kindness, conscience, and honor are actively compared in different languages and cultures. However, the concept of "pride" is studied much less frequently in comparative linguistics and has not yet been subjected to detailed analysis in the Russian-Chinese linguistic and cultural worldview.

This article compares the concept of "pride" in the context of the differences between the cultures and languages of China and Russia. The object of research in this article is the concept of "pride" in Chinese and Russian linguistic cultures. The subject of the research is the national and cultural specifics of the concept of "pride" in Chinese and Russian. The scientific novelty of this study lies in a deep and detailed comparative analysis of the concept of "pride" in Russian and Chinese linguistic cultures based on phraseological units. Various scientific methods were used in the course of the research: descriptive, component (analysis of lexical meaning) and comparative diachronic analysis of concepts.

The concept of "pride" in Russian

Etymologically, the adjective "proud" goes back to the Old Slavic "grd", then to the common Slavic base "grd" ^{[4, p. 109]}. E.E. Stefansky in his article points out that pride has a negative connotative characteristic from the point of view of the value paradigm ^{[5, p. 61]}. In modern Russian society, pride has both positive and negative meanings. From the point of view of evolutionary neurosociology, pride as an emotion was the result of human adaptation to a high status in the social hierarchy.: "Pride allows you to demonstrate your dominant position and superiority to others. This generally positive emotion combines anger (increases the likelihood of success in achieving the desired goal of social superiority) and joy (from what has been achieved)" ^{[6, 26]}.

The following definitions of "pride" are given in T.F. Efremova's dictionary:

1) self-esteem, self-esteem. The national;

2) a feeling of satisfaction from something-n. g. victory;

3) who or whose. About who (what) they are proud of. This student from the institute;

4) an exaggerated opinion of oneself and a disdainful attitude towards others; arrogance, arrogance ^[7].

In the book "The Way of Life" L.N. Tolstoy writes: "Pride is disgusting because people are proud of what they should be ashamed of: wealth, fame, honors." This indicates the ambiguity of understanding the concept of "pride". in Russian linguistic culture.

The Russian language, like any other living language system, has undergone significant changes over the centuries. Social, cultural, and religious contexts were changing, which affected the understanding of pride in the Russian language. In the Old Russian language, as O.A. Kuznetsova notes, the concept of "pride" was understood more broadly than at the present time. For the most part, pride had a negative definition. Pride was understood as a manifestation of external superiority in something associated with arrogance, audacity. Pride was also associated with a special social status of a person (for example, a ruler), which can manifest itself in such behavioral patterns as severity and rigidity ^{[8, p. 27]}.

With the advent of Christianity, there was a complete rethinking of the concept of "pride" in the language. In the Orthodox tradition, pride has come to be regarded as one of the seven deadly sins. Pride was perceived as one of the main human vices, and it was often called the "basis" for all other sins. In Christian ethics, pride is understood as a human quality associated with arrogance and selfishness, manifested in contrasting oneself with God and other people: "But grace gives all the more; therefore it is said: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6) ^[9].

In Soviet times, the concept of "pride" was revised under the influence of new ideological realities. The definition of pride acquired a positive connotation and became associated primarily with collectivism, patriotism and loyalty to communist ideals. Pride in Soviet society manifested itself primarily in recognition of the achievements of the team (for example, the text on the poster "My factory is my pride!" (author N.P. Bayrakova)). Being proud of your country, its history and culture has become an important part of the state ideology (the text on the postcard is "Our pride, our strength, our power!").

With the change of political ideology, the understanding of the concept of "pride" has also changed, pride has become more associated with individual achievements of a person. Currently, as noted above, pride has a rather positive connotation. This is confirmed by the results of a study conducted by E.I. Polyakova ^[10]. At the same time, pride has a certain "line" of tolerance, during which the attitude towards pride changes. If pride manifests itself in the form of arrogance and disregard for others, then it is extremely sharply condemned by society ^[11].

Thus, the concept of "pride" in the Russian language had different interpretations at different historical intervals, reflecting changes in social, cultural and religious contexts. The understanding of pride continues to evolve, adapting to the new conditions and values of society.

The concept of "pride" in Chinese

In Chinese, the word "pride" can have different meanings and be used in different contexts. "Pride" (骄傲) is a compound word consisting of two hieroglyphs: "骄" (jiao) and "傲" (ao). Both hieroglyphs have their own unique meanings and have different origins and contents in the ancient Chinese language. According to the Shawen Jiezi, the original meaning of the hieroglyph "骄" is "a tall, stately horse." In the graphic structure of this hieroglyph, the element "马" (horse) is combined with the element "乔" (tall, large). Initially, "骄" was used to describe tall, strong and majestic horses ^[12]. Since such horses were associated with confidence and pride, the meaning of the hieroglyph has expanded in modern times, later it began to describe human emotions or behavioral features such as complacency and arrogance. The hieroglyph "傲" has the basic meaning of "arrogant behavior." In the Shawen Jiezi, it is defined as "不逊也", which means "arrogance, disrespect." In the structure of the hieroglyph, the element "人" (person) is combined with "敖" (freedom, freedom), which symbolizes ease and a tendency to carefree or independent behavior ^[12].

Thus, these two hieroglyphs combine meanings associated with emotions of confidence, complacency and arrogance, which makes the word "骄傲" especially expressive. In his article, Wen Min notes that in modern Chinese, the word "骄傲" (pride) more often uses the first meaning associated with the hieroglyph "骄" (jiao), since the hieroglyph "傲" (ao) has too pronounced a negative connotation ^{[13, p. 43]}.

In Chinese culture, pride is not only an inner feeling, but also a life position. This feeling is deeply influenced by Confucian teachings and is often closely linked to the strong patriotism and family values of the Chinese people. The word "pride" is also often associated with concepts such as arrogance and self-esteem. This article will analyze the use of the word "pride" in various contexts and its meanings. In Chinese ethical and moral culture, the word "pride" has a complex meaning. In addition, it has different moral connotations in both positive and negative contexts. This double attribute underlies the attitude to pride in traditional Chinese culture. In Chinese culture, pride as a positive emotion is often used to express recognition of one's own or others' achievements. Confucian philosophy proclaims the principle of "striving for self-improvement, keeping a family in order, governing the state and bringing peace to the Celestial Empire", which is closely related to the positive meaning of pride. The Lun Yu says, "If a person does not behave with dignity, he will not be able to gain respect, and if he does not study, he will not be able to become reliable." This emphasizes that a person can gain the respect of others through hard work. Pride, as a continuation of a sense of success, becomes an incentive that encourages a person to realize their potential ^[14].

In modern society, pride is also closely linked to collective honor. For example, "national pride" is considered an important element of the cultural identity and cohesion of the people. Such pride not only enhances the sense of belonging of an individual, but also strengthens the unity of the team. The word "pride" is often associated with the word "proud" in a positive sense, reflecting more positive assessments of achievements, identity, and a sense of cultural belonging. The relationship between "pride" and "proud" is also evident in the moral meaning they carry. In Confucian culture, pride as a positive emotion is often associated with a sense of responsibility and mission. People feel proud of their endeavors and at the same time feel great social responsibility.

Despite the positive aspects of pride, Chinese ethical culture has repeatedly warned about its negative consequences. Confucianism emphasizes the importance of humility and introspection, arguing that excessive pride can lead to arrogance and swagger that hinder personal progress. The Shangshu says "fullness entails losses, but humility brings benefits" ("满招损,谦受益") ^[15]. This suggests that excessive pride can cause complacency and eventually lead to failure. Pride in modern life is given rather an educational value, it is also often correlated with arrogance, which contradicts the Confucian doctrine of humility. A Chinese proverb says, "谦虚使人进步,骄傲使人退步" ("Modesty leads to progress, pride leads to regression"). This expresses one of the rules of life that the Chinese have been following for thousands of years ^[16]. Therefore, we can see the features of gentleness and humility in the Chinese people. Individual heroism is discouraged in Chinese society, as it is also considered a sign of pride at a certain level.

"Self-esteem" means a person's recognition and respect for their own worth. "Pride" as a complex emotion can manifest itself both on a personal and collective level, reflecting national pride and self-esteem. This emotion, as a rule, comes from an inner need for self-esteem. Regardless of whether it's about personal self-esteem or national pride, pride is closely related to these concepts. On a personal level, self-esteem is a person's recognition of their own worth. When a person is proud of his achievements, his sense of pride is often based on satisfying the need for self-esteem. If pride is an external manifestation of emotions or a life position, then self-esteem reflects a person's inner world. At the national level, self-respect is expressed in collective pride in one's culture, history, and achievements ^[17], especially in China, where Confucian culture promotes the "spirit of family and state", the ideal of "Experiencing the sorrows of all first, and rejoicing only after all" (先天下,,后天下下乐乐))). The millennial historical development has closely linked the inner world of the Chinese people with the fate of the country and society. According to Zhang Shifei, patriotism and affection for the native country are the spiritual symbol of the Chinese nation, an expression of the spiritual state of the Chinese people, as well as the driving force for the great rebirth of the Chinese nation ^{[18, p. 33]}.

Phraseological units with a component of pride in Russian and Chinese

Phraseology is a unique phenomenon in language and culture, which is the crystallization of the wisdom of the people and the embodiment of cultural accumulation. In linguoculture, phraseological units are considered as an important window for understanding the cultural psychology of a nation. They reflect the unique understanding and attitude of the people towards nature, society and themselves. At the same time, the study of phraseological units is closely related to the theory of "concept" in language. N. N. Pochueva in her article points out that concepts are formed in the human mind in the process of cognition of the surrounding world, acting as carriers of knowledge and ideas about it. These concepts find their expression in language through various types of phraseological meanings and grammatical structures that serve as forms of their fixation and transmission ^{[19, p. 47]}.

In phraseological units, many fixed expressions carry a specific concrete or abstract concept that reflects not only the cognitive characteristics of language users, but also the value system in a cultural context. The study of the relationship between phraseological units and concepts makes it possible to identify the special role of phraseological units in cross-cultural contexts. On the one hand, phraseological units have become an important tool for cultural translation due to the formal fixation of their linguistic symbols. On the other hand, they serve as linguistic representations of concepts and serve as a bridge for intercultural dialogue and communication. V.N. Telia believes that "the phraseological composition of the language plays a special role in the transmission of cultural and national identity of the people and their identification as such, since the cultural and national worldview is embodied in the figurative content of its units" ^{[20, p . 231]}. Studying how phraseological units embody the generation and transmission of concepts in specific cultures not only helps to deepen understanding of the cultural functions of phraseological units, but also provides important knowledge for intercultural communication and translation studies. In a broad sense, proverbs, sayings and phraseological units have a stable structure and originate in folk literature and history. A.N. Baranov and D.O. Dobrovolsky believe that proverbs are one of the forms of manifestation of phraseological units ^{[21, p. 736]}. Therefore, in this article we will analyze the phraseological units associated with pride in the Russian language from the point of view of their broad understanding. The analysis of these phraseological units will allow us to better understand the linguistic and cultural picture of the world of Russian speakers associated with the concept of "pride".

In Russian, most phraseological units associated with pride have a negative connotation and are often associated with arrogance. These phraseological units teach people, show the need for self-regulation of behavior and avoidance of excessive self-confidence and arrogance. They not only reflect society's criticism of pride, but also emphasize the value of modesty. Through these expressions, Russian culture conveys an important message – excessive pride and arrogance often lead to isolation, failure, and even self-destruction.: "God will break a proud horn"; "To breathe pride"; "There is little self—interest from pride"; "To be proud is to be considered stupid"; "A proud head flies off your shoulders first"; "There is a lot of joy in every pride". However, there are phraseological units that endorse pride in its moderate manifestation: "Pride is good in moderation"; "Without pride, a man is like a rag, he will wipe his feet." These expressions allow us to conclude that pride, shown in moderation, plays an important role in the formation of a person's self-esteem and self-esteem, contributing to the preservation of the inner core and self-confidence.

Phraseological units are an important linguistic phenomenon in the Chinese language, which expresses deep thoughts and rich cultural overtones in a concise form and fixed structure. Over thousands of years of historical development, phraseological units have become not only a crystallization of the wisdom of the Han people, but also an important accumulative source of social values, cultural traditions and ethics. Being a unique linguistic unit, phraseological units are widely used in literature, colloquial speech and everyday communication, they are able to generalize complex emotions and thoughts to a high degree. Phraseological units about pride are an important part of the idiomatic system, reflecting the multilayered understanding of the emotion of pride in Chinese culture. From positive pride to negative arrogance, from personal feelings to national sentiments, these phraseological units reveal the meaning of pride in various contexts and its ethical and moral connotations.

In Chinese, positive phraseological units associated with pride and hubris are often used to express recognition and validation of achievements, as well as appreciation of merit. Such phraseological units usually carry a positive meaning and can inspire people to achieve high goals. Example: 引以为傲 – To be proud of something, to consider something an object of pride; - To bring glory to our ancestors, to glorify our family; 扬眉吐气 – To feel satisfaction after success, to get rid of oppression and to feel pride. The expression "pride" is also associated with negative concepts that are often used to describe arrogant, self-confident behavior or disrespect for others. Such expressions, as a rule, are edifying in nature.: 骄兵必败 – Self-confidence leads to defeat, the pride of the army leads to its defeat; – To look down on others, to be arrogant and disdainful of people; to overestimate oneself; to be arrogant about one's own abilities. Chinese phraseological units also contain expressions that are associated with both personal self-esteem and national pride. These phraseological units not only reflect an individual's sense of value, but also convey the collective emotions of the Chinese nation.: 自强不息 – Constantly strive for self–improvement; be steadfast and unyielding; The glory of the nation; the pride of the people; To worry about the country and its people; to think about the welfare of the people and the state.

Conclusion

Thus, the concept of "pride" in Chinese and Russian was analyzed. The perception of the concept of "pride" in Chinese is characterized by relative "stability" over time. In Russian, this concept has undergone significant changes under the influence of cultural, religious and political transformations. Based on our research, we can conclude that currently the approaches to understanding the concept of "pride" in Russian and Chinese are largely similar. Pride, when expressed within the norm, is perceived in both cultures as a neutral or positive category. It is important to note that there are significantly fewer phraseological units with such meaning in Russian than in Chinese. Russian Russian and Chinese perception of the concept of "pride" at the present stage is the predominant association of pride in Chinese with collectivism and the national idea, which was characteristic of the Russian language during the Soviet period. This understanding of pride is certainly related to the political system of the country. Whereas in Russian, pride is primarily associated with individual achievements and self-esteem. The analysis makes it possible to improve the understanding of intercultural differences in Russian and Chinese, and opens up prospects for further scientific research.