SEMANTIC STRUCTURE OF ADJECTIVES IN MODERN RUSSIAN LANGUAGE

Аннотация

This article examines the semantic structure of adjectives in modern Russian. Particular attention is paid to the classification of adjectives by meaning, their function in conveying the assessment, state, feature and subjective attitude of the speaker. The processes of expansion and transformation of adjective meanings in context are also analyzed. The role of adjectives in the formation of axiological and emotional-evaluative components in speech is shown. Structural and semantic features of qualitative, relative and possessive adjectives are highlighted. The study is based on a comparative analysis of lexical material and examples from fiction and journalistic speech. Keywords: adjective, semantics, assessment, axiology, Russian vocabulary, semantic field. Adjectives in the Russian language play an important role in denoting the characteristics of objects, as well as in conveying the speaker’s subjective assessments. [6, 47–49, 91] They shape the expressiveness of speech, enhance the semantic load of the text and participate in the axiological interpretation of reality. [7, 170] The study of the semantic structure of adjectives allows us to identify their role in the language system, determine the patterns of semantic transformations and study the mechanisms of contextual variation of meanings. This work is devoted to the analysis of the semantic structure of adjectives in the modern Russian language. Their classification, evaluative function and interaction with other lexical units are considered. [5, 100] The study is based on component and lexical-semantic analysis, as well as the comparative method, which allows us to clarify the boundaries of their semantic functions. The material for the study is fiction texts, media and dictionaries, providing a comprehensive analysis of linguistic features. Semantic classification of adjectives 1. Qualitative (e.g. beautiful, fast) — denote features that can change in degree of expression and enter into comparative relations. 2. Relative (e.g. wooden, student) — express attitude to an object, material, time, place or process. 105 SCIENCE SHINE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL Issue 15(50), Volume 1 | ISSN 3030-377X | 20.06.2025 3. Possessive (e.g. mother's, fox's) — indicate the belonging of an object to a certain subject. The semantic structure of adjectives includes several components: - Denotative — denotes an objective feature of an object; - Expressive-evaluative — conveys a subjective attitude; - Axiological — reflects an assessment on a scale of "good - bad". Evaluative and axiological function of adjectives Adjectives are widely used to express subjective and cultural-evaluative meanings. [4,57] Their semantic functions vary from positive to negative assessment: Positive assessment: remarkable, worthy, outstanding. Negative evaluation: nasty, vulgar, disgusting. The context influences the interpretation of evaluative meanings: "He gave a brilliant report" - the positive connotation is reinforced by the context. "Brilliant? More like superficial" - the transformation of meaning under the influence of subjective evaluation. Evaluative adjectives form semantic fields: - The field of qualities: good - excellent - ideal. - The field of negative evaluation: bad - terrible - disgusting. Contextual transformation and interaction of adjectives Adjectives change their meanings depending on the context: - "hard work" - physical exertion. [2, 15] - "difficult character" - psychological characteristic. - "difficult situation" - socio-emotional evaluation. Polysemy is formed due to the mechanisms of metaphorization, metonymy and evaluative shifts. For example, the word "light" can denote both physical weight and the degree of complexity, as well as an emotional state. [3, 114] Adjectives interact with nouns, enhancing their semantic load: - "sincere gratitude", "deep sadness", "useless waste". They also play a key role in set expressions: "dark business", "white crow", "black day". The semantic structure of adjectives in the Russian language is a complex and multi-layered system. [1,10] They not only denote objective features, but also actively participate in the formation of subjective assessments, axiological characteristics and cultural ideas. Their semantic flexibility allows changing meanings depending on the context, and interaction with other lexical units 106 SCIENCE SHINE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL Issue 15(50), Volume 1 | ISSN 3030-377X | 20.06.2025 contributes to the creation of expressive constructions. [8, 170] The study of the semantic and functional characteristics of adjectives opens up new perspectives for the analysis of the mechanisms of meaning formation in language, as well as their application in stylistics, lexicography and translation studies. Their role in the language system makes the study of this category a significant direction in modern linguistics.