The Lexeme <i>POLITICS</i>: Semantic Analysis of Dictionary Definitions in the Russian Language
The paper presents a lexicographic description of the definition of the lexeme POLITICS in eight dictionaries: four explanatory, two encyclopedic, and two political ones. The semantic components that make up the semantic field of the lexeme under study are identified using the method of component analysis in eight dictionary definitions. This has allowed the authors to explore the structure of the lexeme, which has the following elements: the core that includes important obligatory semantic components of the word presented in the definition; the pre-core area that describes the sphere of activity of the state and the class interests of public groups and parties; the periphery, where the spheres of human activity and methods of state policy varying in different historical periods are shown. The purpose of this work is to discover the structure of the semantic analysis of the content of the lexeme POLITICS on the basis of the socio-evaluative component in the Russian language from the scientific point of view. The relevance of the study is associated with the importance of the definition of this lexeme in the current socio-political situation. Since the lexeme POLITICS is often used not only in the media but also in colloquial speech, it is likely that new semic components may appear in the semantic structure of this lexeme in the near future. In this regard, the issue of definition of this lexeme is relevant today. The results of the component analysis have shown the complex nature of the semantic structure of the lexeme POLITICS. The essential semantic components are found not only in the core but also in the pre-core area, making up the core zone as a whole. The periphery is also not homogeneous; it consists of two zones: the near periphery is aimed at clarifying the peculiarities essential for the definition of this lexeme; the far periphery represents additional descriptors mentioned in some dictionaries.