Mentality and national character in Russian and Chinese parodies

Li Lusy PhD in Philology Postgraduate student, Department of General and Russian Linguistics, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia 117198, Russia, Moscow region, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 6 llllllllllsss19@gmail.com

Lazareva Olesya Viktorovna PhD in Philology Associate Professor, Department of General and Russian Linguistics, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia 117198, Russia, Moscow region, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 6 lazareva-ov@rudn.ru

Introduction

The relevance of this study is due to the fact that, against the background of the intensification of political and economic ties between China and Russia, there is an increasing interest in in-depth study of Chinese and Russian traditional culture and comparative research, which contributes to the establishment of effective cooperation between the countries, taking into account the specifics of the linguistic worldviews of the two peoples.

Many studies have been devoted to the study of linguistic and cultural features and metaphorical parallelism in the paroemias of the Russian and Chinese languages. The semantics of the paroemias of the Russian and Chinese languages ^{[15; 19]}; the logical and syntactic structure of the paroemias ^{[2; 5; 13]}; the specific features of the paroemias of the two languages ^{[10; 17; 21]}; the axiological properties of the paroemia ^[16]; the paroemia as a reflection became aspects of the study (based on the material of one language or in comparison). the mentality of an ethnic group ^{[3; 8; 9; 11; 12]}; Paremiology in the aspect of translation and teaching ^{[7; 18]}. The results obtained in the reviewed studies necessitated further study of the representation of national character and mentality in Russian and Chinese parodies.

To achieve the goal, the following tasks were set in the work:

- analyze the national character traits embodied in Russian parodies;

- to study the traits of national character and mentality represented in Chinese parodies;

- compare the general and specific features of national character expressed in Russian and Chinese parodies.

The research material was a file of paremias about national character and mentality in Russian (300 units) and Chinese (350 units), extracted by continuous sampling from dictionaries of proverbs, including monolingual ones.:

· Dahl V. I. Proverbs and sayings of the Russian people [Electronic resource] URL: https://vdahl.ru (date of request: 09/3/2023).

· 周静琪. 汉语谚语词典. , 2006 (Zhou Jingqi. Dictionary of Chinese proverbs. Beijing: Commercial Press International, 2006).

· Ye Fanglai. Russian-Chinese dictionary of proverbs and sayings. Beijing: Business Publishing House, 2005.

The theoretical basis of the research was made up of works on the theory of phraseology and paremiology: a monograph by A.N. Baranov and D.O. Dobrovolsky, devoted to the problem of distinguishing units of phraseology ^[1]; scientific works on the principles of analysis and linguistic and cultural significance, as well as terminological discussion of proverbs ^{[2; 3]}; scientific research on linguoculturology as an aspect of understanding the identity of an ethnic group reflected in the language ^{[7; 8]}; according to paremia as a unit of the lexical system ^{[10; 17]}; according to paremia as a socio-cultural phenomenon with an axiological component ^{[13; 16]}.

The choice of research methods is determined by the purpose and set of tasks. The research methods were the content and component analysis of selected concepts of values and concepts related to them. Based on the dictionary definitions, the components of meaning and the evaluative aspect were identified, that is, the division into semes (the method of semantic analysis). In some cases, etymological analysis was used. In case of finding gaps, a translation analysis was used. Comparative analysis based on the content plan and the expression plan, as well as contextual analysis at the levels of sentence and phrasal unity, allowed us to look at proverbs from different points of view, identify their semantics and reveal their communicative potential. The use of these methods in combination with contrastive and linguocultural methods, taking into account the principle of integrativity, allows us to obtain more important information about the interaction of language and culture. The meaning of paremia is studied by analyzing the proverbial condensate.

The national specificity of the paremias is revealed through the analysis of unique and common proverbs with other languages ^[10]. The national identity of the paremias is reflected by national markers or ethnomarkers, including proper names, names of artifacts of material culture, and ethnonyms ^[17]. At the same time, unique paronyms should be understood as expressions that have no analogues in other languages, which is revealed as a result of interlanguage comparison. In turn, common paroemias are divided into two types – international (common to related languages) and universal (common to unrelated languages).

The methodology used in the article is based on a step-by-step analysis of linguistic and national-cultural specificity proposed by E. E. Ivanov, O. V. Lomakina and Yu.A. Petrushevskaya ^[10]. According to this methodology, the study of Russian and Chinese parodies, united by the common theme "national character and mentality", was carried out taking into account the following stages:

- the first stage is "selection of factual material for research";

- the second stage is "differentiation of unique and common proverbs in Russian and Chinese";

- the third stage is "establishing the national linguistic identity of the units of the proverbial fund";

- the fourth stage "determining the national and cultural labeling of a proverb";

- the fifth stage is "identification of the volume and nature of the national specificity of proverbs" ^[10].

The results of the analysis were visualized using MS Excel based on the quantitative data obtained using a petal diagram, which made it possible to visually reflect the paremic portraits of the national character and mentality of Russians and Chinese.

Russian Russian Russian Russian Dictionary The practical significance of the research is related to the fact that its results can be used as theoretical material for comparative studies of paroemias in Russian and Chinese, in the creation of educational materials for Chinese and Russian language learners, as well as for the compilation of bilingual Chinese-Russian and Russian-Chinese dictionaries of paroemias.

Discussion and results

The identification of a common (universal) and specific language in the paremiological fund is an urgent issue of modern linguistics ^[10]. This is primarily due to the fact that paremias are linguistic units that most vividly reflect national and cultural information. Paremias are an important element of the national picture of the world, they reflect the values of the people in any language, they are universals, represented in various forms of stable expressions ^{[13; 17]}.

In a general sense, "a proverb is a phraseological unit with a sentence structure" ^{[1, p. 48]}; a paremia is a "package of experience", a "compact container", it is resistant to historical changes and continues to be widely used in language even though the realities it mentions are quite common they no longer occur in everyday life. In addition, paremias are also characterized by anonymity, brevity, completeness, recommendatory nature, imagery and figurative meaning ^[3]. However, there is a difference between a proverb and a paremia as between the particular and the general. So, a proverb is just one of the types of paroemias that also include other idiomatic expressions.

There are many types of idiomatic expressions in the Chinese language that have semantic and constructive features. Since proverbs are used as research material in this work, it seems necessary to consider their Chinese equivalent yanyu. This type of idiomatic expressions represents stable concise sentences, widely spread among the people, which are a crystallization of the national experience. [5-7; 14; 15; 18]. The Chinese term yanyu is equivalent to the term proverb and saying in Russian and is one of the main types of paroemias in Chinese ^[6].

Having collected the material of Russian proverbs and Chinese yanyu about national character and mentality, we analyzed them, identified unique and common units for both linguistic cultures. Each proverb was labeled with the name of the character trait it expresses, which resulted in two sets of data for Russian and Chinese. As a result of using the filter in MS Excel, the paroemias for each of the character traits were calculated and the results are presented in a summary table for each language. Next, we compiled a general table, listing each of the national character traits found in proverbs, and noting the number of paroemias in each of the languages (in the absence of paroemias with a national character trait of another language, a zero value was set in the table). The next step was to construct a petal diagram and obtain paremic portraits of Russian and Chinese national characters (Fig.1).

Figure 1. "Paremic portraits" of Russian and Chinese national characters

The study of Russian and Chinese Yanyu parodies about national character and mentality revealed that they share a common theme of diligence. These expressions embodied a positive attitude towards work (rus. The happiest person in our country is a hardworking one, the sun makes the earth beautiful, and work makes a person happy, rus. Happiness and work live side by side, Kit. ‘If you want to be happy, you must first endure adversity and endure hard work.’Labor is the root of all treasures." Hard work is necessary in order to ensure their daily life and life with everything they need, which was especially important for a Russian person living in an average climatic zone with a limited agricultural period (Russian. To work hard – there will be bread in the bins). In China, despite the more favorable climate for agriculture in the southern provinces, the need for hard work is also reflected in many parodies. ‘Hard work pays off’, Keith. 奋斗，事会成功;勤劳，幸福必来 ‘If you work hard, you will succeed, if you work hard, happiness will come’). In contrast to diligence, Russian and Chinese parodies reflect a special attitude towards laziness. At the same time, if Chinese expressions about laziness have a strictly negative assessment (Chinese: "Don't be afraid of difficulties, be afraid to just be lazy"; Chinese: "Laziness is the root of all evil"), then Russians do not always consider laziness as something negative, and in some cases state only the actual presence of this feature. national character (Russian. Laziness was born before us, Small laziness grows to big laziness). This attitude of Russians towards diligence and laziness embodies the peculiarity of the national character – inconsistency.

A common feature of the national characters of the two peoples is the attitude towards honesty (sincerity). Honesty in Russian parodies appears as the most significant quality for a person (Russian. Honesty is most expensive, Ugly, but honest in soul, Honest is not afraid of the truth, An honest person is more expensive than a stone bridge), honesty is often inherent in poor people (Rich, but crooked, poor, but honest, Be naked, but not a thief, but poor, but honest). Chinese Proverbs integrity as a Foundation, and the highest virtue of human life, which gives a person the confidence it gives strong (chin. 诚实是人生的命脉，是一切价值的根基 ‘Honesty is the lifeblood and Foundation of all values’, 真诚才是人生最高的美德 ‘Sincerity is the highest virtue in life, 诚实是最丰富的传代物 ‘Honesty is the richest inheritance’, 人无诚不立，城无信不强 ‘Man can't resist without sincerity, and the city can't be strong without faith’). At the same time, Chinese parodies urge to beware of dishonest and cunning people (Chinese: ‘Don't be afraid of the wrath-eyed Vajra, but be afraid of the narrow-eyed Bodhisattva, meaning. you don't have to be afraid of people who tell the truth to your face, even if they're angry, but you have to be afraid of those who laugh in your face and are dishonest’).

Collectivity as a national trait is reflected in Russian and Chinese parodies. The peoples of both countries believe that by coming together, joint efforts can achieve more effective and well–coordinated work, achieve high results (rus. Our strength is the family is one," kit. 'If people rally, then Mount Taishan will be moved’). The universal is found in relation to neighbors (Rus. A close neighbor is better than a distant relative, It's a bad thing to offend a neighbor, kit. 远亲不如近邻 ‘A near neighbor is better than a distant relative’) and in relation to collectivity as such (Rus. One tree is not a forest, one person is not a people, kit. ‘One thread cannot create a canvas, and a single tree can create a forest’, 滴水不成海，独木难成林 ‘a Drop of water can create the ocean, and one tree can not create a forest’, 莫学蜘蛛各结网，要学蜜蜂共酿蜜 ‘Don't be spiders who build their webs, but be like bees who mine honey together’). Collectivity in Chinese culture is closely related to ideas about the family. In the paremias, it is found that unanimity and harmony are important for the family. ‘They don't speak two languages in the same family’).

The parodies of the Russian and Chinese languages about national character reflect a special attitude towards kindness. In particular, in Russian parodies, kindness appears as an important human quality that is positively evaluated both in society (Russian Kindness will never be forgotten, Kindness does not lose its dignity anywhere, Life is given for good deeds) and by God (Whoever does good, God will repay him), which also expresses an important feature of national the character of Russians as religiosity, due to the influence of Christianity on the formation of a national mentality. Chinese Proverbs kindness as part of the national character also positively evaluated (chin. 善有善报 ‘good and Good will result’, 从善如登，从恶如崩 ‘to Do good is like scaling, to do evil – like the fall’, 天不可无日月，人不可无善德 ‘Heaven can not exist without the sun and the moon, and people can't be without kindness’, 善良的心就是太阳 ‘a Good heart is the sun’). At the same time, in Chinese culture, goodness in parodies is embodied in two forms: 善德 ‘ ’ ' ' ' ' ' ' ', kindheartedness, friendliness, and in the form of 善德 ‘ ' ' ' ' ' ', the highest virtue. This allows us to discover that Chinese culture has an ambiguous attitude towards kindness.

The common feature is the presence of patience as a feature of both the Chinese and Russian national character. Patience and perseverance allow you to reach special heights in any business, overcome difficulties. Patience appears as something necessary to make the future brighter and life happier. All this is reflected in Chinese parodies. ‘Difficulties are a textbook of life’,Russian Russian parodies cannot block out the sun, and difficulties cannot frighten the heroes’), and in Russian parodies, the Russian is patient to the beginning, An hour to endure, and a century to live, There is patience at will, Live in slaves, maybe you will be in the masters. These parodies also reveal an ambiguous feature of the Russian national character, such as the hope of "chance", that is, for a random combination of circumstances, which expresses a tendency to optimism and faith in a positive outcome. Russian Russian language is widely known for paroemias with the word maybe, such as a Russian man standing on three stilts: maybe, maybe, somehow, Maybe the fisherman pushes under the sides, Held onto the string bag by the sky, but both fell into the pit, Maybe the hare gets into the net, Maybe the peasant plows the field (and he sows bread), Maybe, maybe, somehow, Maybe, maybe - such a support, even if you drop it, The string bag is a good guy: either he will help out or he will learn, Maybe – our only hope, We will live to see that we will still make money, Maybe the peasant sows bread. At the same time, maybe it is not irresponsibility, but acts as a greater openness to Russian people and a willingness to accept any possible outcome of an event.

Chinese optimism shows a pragmatic national character. For example, in the paremia ‘Every failure makes a person smarter. You can find that any experience, any practice is the basis for future success. The pragmatism of the Chinese character is also more closely related not to optimism, but to prudence, which is often equated with reasonableness and is considered a positive character trait. This is reflected in the parodies of the ‘The reasonable wins, the unreasonable loses,’Good tea is not afraid of careful tasting, and good deeds are not afraid of detailed discussion.'

In both linguistic cultures, courage appears as a positive trait of national character (Rus. C. the smallness (courage) of the city takes, C. small peas to slurp, but the timid and do not see cabbage soup, kit. 'The brave rides on a dragon and a tiger, the timid – on a cat and a rabbit'). Russian Russian parodies Either pan or disappeared, Either in the stirrup with his foot, or in the stump with his head, etc., reflect the desire of the Russian person for risk.

Next, let's look at the specific features of national character that were discovered as a result of a comparative analysis of Russian and Chinese paremias.

Russian parodies, in particular, reflect such traits as hospitality, responsiveness, breadth of soul, and love of freedom.

Due to the influence of history, geographical features, and religiosity, hospitality has become one of the national character traits. This is reflected in the parodies, Although you are not rich, but you are glad to have guests, Do not spare the cabbage soup, but pour it more thickly, Eat bread and salt, and listen to kind people, an unexpected guest, better than the expected two, The host is glad to have a kind guest. This feature of the national character is also associated with responsiveness (One pays for good, It's a bad thing to offend a neighbor) and breadth of soul (the Russian soul is wide open).

The love of freedom in the national character of Russians was formed in conditions with the social experience of restrictions on freedom and the long period of existence of serfdom. This was reflected in such parodies as, Although a heavy share, but all your own will, The will of a bird is more expensive than a golden cage, a free man is not afraid of anything, His own freedom– freedom, etc.

In Chinese paremias, national characteristics include the fear of losing face – mianzi, frugality, single-mindedness, and vindictiveness.

As for the fear of losing face, the face or mianzi in Chinese culture is associated with reputation (‘A person passing through must leave behind a reputation, like a flying goose leaves behind a cry’, ‘A bird values its feathers, a tiger values its skin, and a man values his face."People are afraid of losing their face, and trees are afraid of losing their skin. Maintaining one's own social reputation is very important for a Chinese person, which is associated with the peculiarities of perception of the world and society, as well as the strong collectivity of Chinese culture.

Single-mindedness in the Chinese character is associated with the presence of ambition, which is assessed positively. This is reflected in the parodies of ‘Trees are afraid of rotten roots, and people are afraid of lack of ambition’, 'Don't be afraid to be knowledgeable, but be afraid of lack of ambition').

Thrift as a national character trait of the Chinese is also found in many parodies (君子子德德 ' 'A noble husband uses thrift to overcome difficulties', 养鱼要蓄水，致富要积累 'To grow fish, you need to store water, and to become rich, you need to save'). Thrift and modesty are perceived as positive traits, while they are opposed to extravagance (chin. 精打细算，有吃有穿；大吃大喝，当屋卖锅 ‘Carefully plan food and clothing, eat and drink wasteful and sell the pots in the house’, 眼下胡花乱铺张，往后日月空荡荡 ‘Spending money is wasteful now, but in the future the sun and moon will be empty’).

The analysis of Chinese paremias also revealed vindictiveness as a positive trait of national character. According to the parody, "A man cannot be considered a noble husband unless he corrects injustice and takes revenge on the enemy." It is also found that the revenge of a noble husband should not be instantaneous, but can be postponed for a sufficiently long period of time: ‘For the revenge of a noble husband, ten years is not even the time’, 君子子三三，，，人人 ‘A noble husband takes revenge for three years, a villain - immediately’).

Conclusion

Thus, we come to the following conclusions.

First, after analyzing the national character traits embodied in Russian parodies, we found that they include a special attitude towards conscience, laziness and idleness; honor; optimism; hospitality; courage and courage; honesty and a positive attitude towards diligence. The paremias also reflect the inherent religiosity and collectivity of the Russian mentality. In addition, the parodies embody the contradictory nature of the Russian mentality (laziness / diligence), which is associated with multinational and multicultural, a combination of collectivism and individualism. Hope for a chance, represented in Russian parodies, is also one of the important features of the national character, historically formed in times of war and crisis, strongly influenced by religious beliefs about fate and fate.

Secondly, having studied the national character and mentality traits presented in Chinese parodies, we came to the conclusion that they include single-mindedness; fear of losing face; thrift and prudence. Among them, single-mindedness was formed in the course of a long historical development, the desire of the Chinese people to improve, in conditions of high competition in society. The concept of "face" developed in Chinese society under the influence of the teachings of Confucius, who emphasized the importance of harmony in society, the failure of which can lead to loss of status and reputation. Frugality was also shaped by the philosophy of Confucius and Taoism, which emphasize the importance of a moderate and restrained lifestyle.

Finally, after comparing the common and specific features of national character expressed in Russian and Chinese parodies, we came to the conclusion that a positive attitude to work, honesty, kindness, teamwork, courage, patience and perseverance are common to both linguistic cultures. It is likely that the universality of diligence is due to the fact that agriculture has historically played an important role in the lives of people in Russia and China, who needed to constantly make efforts to take care of their crops and harvest their crops. It should also be noted that despite the attribution of the above-mentioned traits to common ones, it is worth noting that upon closer examination, national peculiarities of perception of these traits were discovered. For example, kindness in Chinese culture is perceived not only as kindheartedness, friendliness, but also appears as a virtue, which is associated with the influence of Buddhism. Honesty in Russian culture is associated with religious motives and the influence of Orthodoxy, while in China it is an integral value in the philosophical teachings of ancient philosophers. Courage, patience and perseverance are associated with the complex historical and geopolitical conditions in which the Russian and Chinese national characters were formed.

The specific features expressed in Russian and Chinese parodies include hospitality, responsiveness, freedom, the ability to take risks, and hope for a chance. In turn, Chinese parodies reflect a positive attitude towards thrift and prudence, and preserving one's face. Combining all of the above, it can be noted once again that the paroemias reflect the strong influence of territorial, historical, religious and philosophical factors on the formation of the Russian and Chinese national character.

The prospects for the study of this issue include the continuation of the study of national character parodies in order to identify detailed differences in the linguistic cultures of China and Russia. Despite the fact that the article examines paroemias, only one type of them is analyzed – Russian proverbs and Chinese yanyu, and therefore it is promising to use other types of paroemias as research material.