Gubanov S.A.

Epithetation of mystery in M. Tsvetaeva’s works. Pp.135-142.

UDC 821.161.1-1.09″19″

DOI 10.37724/RSU.2025.87.2.013

 

Abstract. Epithetation is a cognitive and semantic process of transforming the feature structure of two mental spaces: the conceptual domain of the object of epithetation and the feature element of the epithet complex. In order to explain the mechanism of epithet formation, it seems productive to use the theory of conceptual integration (blending). This approach assumes that the interaction of mental spaces occurs due to the identification of temporary common features between objects and the formation of a mixed space (blend).

The aim of the study is to describe the epithetation of the concept “mystery” in M. Tsvetaeva’s texts on the basis of blending attributes of different types. For completeness of the description of various attributes of the concept under consideration, we use such sources as the National Corpus of the Russian Language and the Dictionary of epithets of the Russian literary language. It is proved that epithetation occupies one of the central places in M. Tsvetaeva’s creative laboratory, which allows the poet to endow objects with various attributes unlimitedly. The cognitive basis of the majority of attributive constructions is anthropomorphic metaphorization and metonymization. The expansion of combinability of attributive words with the concept of “mystery” is conditioned by the author’s intention to describe the inner world of her lyrical heroine, where the intimate sphere and love are the main subjects of reflection. We observe the poet’s active appeal to the somatic code in the epithetic comprehension of realities. The abstract “mystery” concept acquires a number of meanings, among which such as “the mystery of creativity,” “the mystery of human consciousness,” “the mystery of being,” and others. The cognitive view of epithetation sheds light on the principles of the poet’s work with language, making it possible to formulate the regularities of figurative modeling of reality on the basis of its sign perception.

 

Keywords: blending, individual style, concept “mystery,” Marina Tsvetaeva, epithet, epithetation, epithet complex.

 

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