O WYRAZIE I JEGO ZNACZENIU W ŚWIETLE POGLĄDÓW JĘZYKOZNAWCÓW RADZIECKICH
ABOUT THE WORD AND ITS MEANING IN SOVIET LINGUISTICS

Summary/Abstract: Among the linguists in the Soviet Union as well as abroad there is no agreement as to definition of the notion „word”. They all agree that an exact definition of the notion „word” isimpossible. De Saussure, for example, thinks, that the notion „word” is contrary to our image of a specific linguistic unit. According to him and Ch. Bally a specific linguistic unit cannot be found in „word”. In Soviet linguistics L. Shcherba discussing the notion „word” comes to the conclusion that the notion „word” in general does not exist, it is different in different languages. The basic function of a word in a language is nomination and nominative words contain an indication of the qualitative definition of an object. Context is very important in giving the meaning of the word. It gives the word its current meaning in linguistic communication, favours the creation of additional and new meanings conditioned by the context. The meaning of the word depends on the grammatical category consituation, lexical links, mutual relations between the words and their synonyms, and on their expressive and stylistic colouring. The „word” as an element of a linguistic system should be distinguished from the „word” in linguistic communication.

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