EVOLUTION OF LEXICAL MEANING OF THE ENGLISH ONOMATOPOEIC WORDS OBJECTIFYING KNOCKING SOUNDS
The article considers the process of de-iconization of meanings of the English onomatopoeic words objectifying the acoustic nature of different types of knocking sounds. The paper aims to identify lexical meanings of the secondary nomination level and to reveal cognitive mechanisms, on which new nomination is based. Scientific originality of the study involves analysing onomatopoeic vocabulary in the aspect of its polysemy and de-iconization of imitative meanings. The findings indicate that new meanings partially lose iconicity and relation with imitative meaning is preserved due to metaphorical, metonymical or functional transfer.