Nikitin O.V.

Russian language through a linguistic lens (reminiscences of Nikolay Maksimovich Shansky). Pp. 103–112.

UDC 811.161.1(092)

DOI 10.37724/RSU.2025.88.3.010

 

Abstract. The article analyzes the heritage of Academician N. M. Shansky (1922–2005). It focuses on the scholar’s contribution to the development of Russian philology and education, his universalism and non-standard approach to language study. Special attention is paid to his so-called “linguistic detective stories,” where he revealed the history of origins of a word, morpheme or phraseological unit. His book Life of the Russian Word stands out as a fascinating journey into the world of linguistics. It is stated that when preparing the publication, N. M. Shansky and his co-author T. A. Bobrova relied on the experience in philology in publishing textbooks, dictionaries of various types, and popular science literature, from F. I. Buslaev to V. G. Kostomarov. The paper looks into the background of the creation of such publications and the modern tradition of literature for youngsters. In the context of the linguomethodological tradition, the article examines the scholar’s relevant ideas: morpheme properties, the features of Russian spelling, what word forms and parts of speech hide, etymological sketches, phraseological units in a context, etc. The article emphasizes the value of introducing linguistic terminology into school and university practice and introducing non-professional readers to the philological community. An overview of mysterious morphemes and words interpreted by N. M. Shansky is given (for example, the origin of the prefix che- is described, the root in the name Shura is analyzed, etc.). The article notes the educational focus of N. M. Shansky’s books and, in general, their relevance across promising areas of modern humanitarian knowledge (popular linguistics). A conclusion is made about the significance of the scholar’s works for the theory and practice of philological education.

 

Keywords: N. M. Shansky, word, morpheme, letter, etymology, phraseological unit, speech culture, history of language, philological creativity.

 

Bibliography

 

  1. Alpatov V. M. Yazykoznaniye: Ot Aristotelya do kompyuternoy lingvistiki.  [Linguistics: From Aristotle to computational linguistics]. Moscow, Alpina Non-Fiction, 2018, 253 p. (In Russian).
  2. Babenko V. Udivitelnyye istorii o slovakh samykh raznykh: Kniga o tom, chto my govorim, sami togo ne vedaya.[Amazing stories about different words: a book about what we say without knowing]. Moscow, Lomonosov, 2015, 240 p. (In Russian).
  3. Bakhtikireeva U. M., Valentinova O. I. Features of “Linguistic Thinking” from the standpoint of systemic linguistics. Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2022, vol. 26, iss. 1, pp. 224–244. (In Russian).
  4. Vinogradov V. V. Istoriya slov.[History of words]. Moscow, Tolk, 1994, 1138 p. (In Russian).
  5. Glinkina L. A. Slovar-spravochnik: etimologicheskiye tayny russkoy orfografii. [Reference Dictionary: etymological secrets of Russian spelling]. Orenburg, Orenburg Publ., 2001, 400 p. (In Russian).
  6. Nikitin O. V. Life and works of Alexander Matveevich Peshkovsky in light of the scientific controversy of his time. Poetika. Stilistika. Izbr. tr. Sost. i nauch. red. O. V. Nikitin. [Linguistics. Poetics. Stylistics. Selected works. Compiled and ed. by O. V. Nikitin]. Moscow, Vysshaya Shkola, 2007, pp. 14–58. (In Russian).
  7. Nikolay Maksimovich Shanskiy (1922–2005): bibliograf. uk. nauch. tr. s 1993 po 2005 g. Sost. G. Ya. Smirnova. [Nikolay Maksimovich Shansky (1922–2005): bibliography of scientific papers from 1993 to 2005. Compiled by G. Ya. Smirnova]. Ryazan, Ryazan State University named for S. A. Yesenin, 2006, 17 p. (In Russian).
  8. Otkupshchikov Yu. V. K istokam slova: rasskazy o proiskhozhdenii slov.  [Back to the sources of the word: stories about words origins]. St. Petersburg, Aqualon, Azbuka-classic, 2008, 352 p. (In Russian).
  9. Plungyan V. A. Pochemu yazyki takiye raznyye: populyarnaya lingvistika.[Why languages are so different: popular linguistics]. Moscow, Rusistica, 2017, 226 p. (In Russian).
  10. Ulukhanov I. S. O yazyke Drevney Rusi. [About the language of ancient Rus]. Moscow, Azbukovnik, 2002, 192 p. (In Russian).
  11. Shansky N. M. V mire slov. [In the world of words]. Moscow, Prosveshchenie, 1971, 255 p. (In Russian).
  12. Shansky N. M. Leksika i frazeologiya sovremennogo russkogo yazyka. [Lexicon and phraseology of modern Russian language]. Moscow, Uchpedgiz, 1957, 168 p. (In Russian).
  13. Shansky N. M. Lingvisticheskiye detektivy: uvlekatelnyye rasskazy iz zhizni slov. Kn. 1–2. [Linguistic detective stories: fascinating stories about the life of words. Books 1–2]. Moscow, Eksmo, Bombora, 2020–2021. (In Russian).
  14. Shansky N. M. Ocherki po russkomu slovoobrazovaniyu i leksikologii. [Essays on Russian word formation and lexicology]. Moscow, Uchpedgiz, 1959, 248 p. (In Russian).
  15. Shansky N. M. Po stranitsam “Yevgeniya Onegina”: kommentariy, fakultativ, olimpiada. [On the pages of “Eugene Onegin”: commentary, elective course, Olympiad]. Moscow, Drofa, 2005, 171 p. (In Russian).
  16. Shansky N. M. Frazeologiya sovremennogo russkogo yazyka: ucheb. posobiye dlya vuzov. [Phraseology of modern Russian language: textbook for universities]. St. Petersburg, Spetsialnaya literatura, 1996, 192 p. (In Russian).
  17. Shansky N. M. Khudozhestvennyy tekst pod lingvisticheskim mikroskopom.[Fiction through a linguistic lens]. Moscow, Prosveshchenie, 1986, 157 p. (In Russian).
  18. Shansky N. M., Bobrova T. A. Zhizn russkogo slova: kn. dlya starsheklassnikov. [Life of the Russian word: book for high school students]. Moscow, Verbum-M., 2006, 399 p. (In Russian).
  19. Shansky N. M., Bobrova T. A. Shkolnyy etimologicheskiy slovar russkogo yazyka: proiskhozhdeniye slov. [School Etymological dictionary of the Russian language: origins of words]. Moscow, Drofa, 2004, 398 p. (In Russian).
  20. Shansky N. M., Zimin V. I., Filippov A. V. Shkolnyy frazeologicheskiy slovar russkogo yazyka: znacheniye i proiskhozhdeniye slovosochetaniy. [School phraseological dictionary of the Russian language: meanings and origins of phrases]. Moscow, Drofa, 2007, 380 p. (In Russian).
  21. Shansky N. M., Zimin V. I., Filippov A. V. Shkolnyy etimologicheskiy slovar russkoy frazeologii. [School etymological dictionary of Russian phraseology]. Moscow, Russkoe slovo — textbook, 2012, 288 p. (In Russian).
  22. Shansky N. M., Reznichenko I. L., Kudryavtseva T. S. et al. Chto znachit znat yazyk i vladet im. Pod red. N. M. Shanskogo.[What does it mean to know a language and master it. Ed. by N. M. Shansky]. Leningrad, Prosveshcheniye, Leningrad dept., 1989, 191 p. (In Russian).
  23. Shansky N. M., Solovieva V. S., Filippov A. V. Uchebnyy slovar antichnykh imen v russkoy poezii.[Students’ dictionary of ancient names in Russian poetry]. Ashgabat, Magaryf, 1990, 101 p. (In Russian).
  24. Etimologicheskiy slovar russkogo yazyka (ES). Pod red. N. M. Shanskogo.[Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language (ED). Ed. by A. F. Zhuravlev, N. M. Shansky]. Vols. 9–11. Moscow, Moscow University Publ., 1999–2014. (In Russian).
  25. Etimologicheskiy slovar russkogo yazyka (ES). Pod red. N. M. Shanskogo.[Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language (ED). Ed. by N. M. Shansky]. Vols. 1–8. Moscow, Moscow University Publ., 1963–1982. (In Russian).
Uncategorized