Comparative typological analysis of kinship terms in indo-european languages (based on english, german, russian and urdu)

Abstract

The article focuses on the study of relationship terms in English, German, Russian and Urdu. The relations between family members have always been crucial for any ethnic society and being an important element of the world outlook they are realized through the names of relatives. The current study aims at analyzing the terminological system of relations in the mentioned languages and at identifying their ethnocultural characteristics by means of comparing the ways of naming family members in the selected languages. An attempt has been made to systematize the relation terms according to a number of criteria (gender, the character of relationship, the degree of consanguinity, family correlation, age). The terms in question were classified accordingly, and this enabled the authors to define the features of language representation of the semantics of the names. The authors suggest that a number of lexemes are gradually falling out of use and are being repalced with other forms possessing a wider lexical meaning, which is determined by extralinguistic reality. The data gained through the analysis of search requests and questioning of native speakers of the languages in focus confirmed the preliminary hypothesis about some terms falling out of active use and their substitution by descriptive constructions. Thus, convergence is a current trend of development of the relationship terminological system in the European languages in focus, which indicates the undergoing changes in different ethnical societies. Detection of ethnocultural specific features remains a priority for linguistic studies as it provides insight of social interaction and communication at a certain stage of human evolution in a certain language space. Ways of reflecting one’s national identity by means of a language both present a serious problem and a great interest for nonnative speakers since expansion of intercultural contacts and successful communication presuppose understanding of a national specific character of a language.