The development of the structure of the держава (power) macroconcept from motivating signs to conceptual ones

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to determine the basic signs of the держава (power) macroconcept. Objectives of the article: 1) identify the motivating signs of the macroconcept by analyzing the main representative of the macroconcept in etymological dictionaries; 2) find the conceptual signs of the держава (power) macroconcept through the study of the main representative of the concept in the explanatory dictionaries of two periods: a) XVIII–XIX centuries and b) XX–XXI centuries. 11 etymological dictionaries of the Russian language, seven dictionaries of the Old Slavonic, Church Slavonic and Russian languages of the 18 th–19th centuries, 11 dictio naries of the modern Russian language were taken for the analysis. The development of the structure of the держава (power) macroconcept initially expands the number of conceptual sings, and by modern times it narrows their number. There are 19 motivating signs for this macroconcept; 23 cognitive signs appear in the period from the 18th to the 19th centuries. There are 15 cognitive signs in the modern Russian language picture of the world. Держава (power) belongs to the category of dying macroconcepts, in which conceptual signs are less in the number of motivating ones. Conceptual signs of the держава (power) modern macroconcept are combined into 9 blocks: 1) rule by the people ('(supreme/state) power' (motivated 'power'), 'dominion'); 2) relationships between countries ('influence (in world politics and international affairs)', '(independent) politics' – motivational ' (independent/independent) ownership'); 3) land with borders ('(large / powerful country / independent / large state') (motivated '(independent) country / state'), 'territory (states) (understandable sign of the previous period 'land')'); 4) physical abilities ('strength' (motivated 'strength/fortress'), 'power'); 5) opportunities and resources ('(great) achievements (economic, military, sports, etc.)', 'potential (economic/political)'); 6) support ('support', 'what you can hold on to / grab onto (handle, bracket)'); 7) object ('a device for holding something, for example metal during processing (special)' (in the previous period 'an iron strip (temporarily welded to a forged large thing to hold and control it on an anvil) / iron rod with a pitchfork, used for welding iron / similar rod for setting silver glare (ingots) into the smelting forge'); 8) sign ('emblem/regalia/symbol of the power of the monarch: a golden ball with a crown or cross'); 9) physical property ('strength / firm bond / reliability in the bond').