INTRALINGUAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE ENGLISH VOCABULARY: LINGUOSYNERGETIC APPROACH

Abstract

The paper studies intralingual mechanism of the English vocabulary modification employing linguosynergetic methods. The systemic character and dynamic nature of lexicon enabled to apply the synergetic ideas and principles in the analysis of the English vocabulary, represented as a complex, hierarchically organized, open, dynamic, non-balanced system consisting of co-existing and interacting elements. The English vocabulary is defined as a system of commonly used literary vocabulary and specific lexical units of different nature. The lexicon has a nuclear-peripheral structure. The nucleus is formed by lexemes of standard vocabulary. The near and far periphery is differentiated according to the stylistic coloring of its substandard elements represented by slang and jargons respectively.The English vocabulary as a synergetic system is guided by parameters aimed at the relative stability and integrity of its structure (homeostasis) and at dynamic variability and evolution. It has been proved that the coexisting and interacting lexical units catalyze the instability of a system and stimulate transformations within the English vocabulary. The stylistic transformation of lexical system is viewed as one of the main intralingual mechanisms of the English vocabulary self-organization and self-regulation. The sociocultural factors destabilize the lexical system, encourage the interaction within the its subsystems and enrich the mainstream vocabulary by lexemes of different jargons and slang, if they denote a new necessary notion and have communicative value. It can be concluded that the productive intralingual mechanism of the English lexical system self-organization and self-regulation is characterized by the active interaction of standard and substandard lexical elements.