Polysemantic features of the word gossip in lexicographical description

Abstract

The paper describes and summarizes the lexicographical meaning of the English word “gossip”. The identification of its distinctive features is carried out through componential analysis in combination with a number of other methods of semantic description inherent in traditional semasiology. As a result of the analysis based on the principle of denotative differentiation of meanings, five lexical-semantic variants were found out in the semantic structure of the word “gossip”, four of which break up into several subvariants. The latter are caused by the ability of the word meaning to expand by semantic variation. Various types of semantic relations were established between the meanings of the word under study. Its central values / lexical-semantic variants (LSV1, LSV2, and LSV3), intersecting and forming an equipolent opposition, reflect the main elements of the communication process and are hierarchically arranged in the following order: speaker (gossiper) – message (gossip) – information transmission (gossiping). At the level of macrovalues, a clear opposition was also revealed between nuclear groups of values with an integral seme “about the private life of other people”, on the one hand, and LSV4 with a hyperseme “information exchange” and wide topical reference of messages, on the other. Both LSV4 subvariants are only connected with other meanings of the lexeme by two integral semes “information” and “informal” and are marked by the bright differential semes “low value”, “triviality” and “simplicity”, “entertainment” respectively, indicating a denotation reflecting idle-speech types of human communication, and semantically referring the lexeme “gossip” to the concept “chatter”. Within the macrovalues, the “split” meanings are differentiated on the basis of the parameters of epistemic modality (truthfulness/falsity), evidentiality (confirmation / lack of evidence, certain origin/uncertain origin), intentionality (premeditation (evil intention) / lack of evil intention) and connotative aspect (deprecation (condemnation, disapproval, negative evaluation) / lack of deprecation). In general, the semanteme of the word “gossip” reflects a compositive denotation, presenting complex information and communication phenomenon, behind which lies a broad range of specific types of interpersonal and group interaction within informal discourse.