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Xu, L. (2025). Insect vocabulary reflecting effects on objects of the surrounding world: lexical interpretation. Litera, 2, 14–23. https://doi.org/10.25136/2409-8698.2025.2.73253
Insect vocabulary reflecting effects on objects of the surrounding world: lexical interpretation
DOI: 10.25136/2409-8698.2025.2.73253EDN: AOHRRSReceived: 31-01-2025Published: 07-02-2025Abstract: This article is devoted to the component and comparative analysis of the semes of vocabulary denoting insects, which contains a differential feature of the aspect of insect impact on objects of the surrounding world in Russian and Chinese. The purpose of the article is a comparative analysis of the vocabulary denoting insects in Russian and Chinese, containing a differential feature of the aspect of insect impact on objects of the surrounding world. The subject of this article is the vocabulary that designates insects and reflects their impact on objects in the world around them in Russian and Chinese. The object of the study is 28 lexemes that indicate a differential feature of the aspect of insect impact on objects of the surrounding world in Russian and 42 lexemes in Chinese, which were selected in dictionaries. The following methods are used in this study: classification, semantic analysis, component analysis and comparative analysis. This aspect of vocabulary related to insects has not been studied. The analysis revealed differential semes in the differential features of the aspect "insect impact on objects of the surrounding world" in Russian and Chinese, as well as differences and similarities in the representation of these features in the two languages. The article notes that in Russian, 20.58% of lexemes refer to the general characteristics of insect exposure to someone and something, while in Chinese this figure reaches 46.15% (in accordance with the selected corpus of entomonyms).It was found that in the Russian language, the lexemes and the effects of insects on objects in the surrounding world are mostly characterized in a negative way. The definitions focus on the harmful nature of the effects of insects on flora, including agriculture, fauna and humans, as well as on human household items. In Russian cases, there is a beneficial effect of insects on objects of the surrounding world. In Chinese, insects are also divided into harmful and beneficial, depending on their role in the ecosystem. In their definitions, a clear juxtaposition of beneficial and harmful insects is carried out, the different nature of the impact of insects on the ecosystem during their metamorphosis and depending on external conditions is recorded. Keywords: insect, entomonyms, aspect, differential seme, differential feature, semantic analysis, impact of insects, objects of the surrounding world, Russian language, Chinese languageThis article is automatically translated. You can find original text of the article here.
Introduction The vocabulary denoting insects reflects an important fragment of the worldview and is a linguistic picture of the world reflecting the cultural, ethnolinguistic and cognitive characteristics of a particular nation [1]. The study of categorical-lexical families (hereinafter referred to as KLS) and differential signs (hereinafter referred to as DP) of this vocabulary has revealed complex relationships between language, thinking and the surrounding reality. The analysis of such units in the optics of comparative analysis contributes to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of conceptualization of natural phenomena in language. The purpose of the article is a comparative analysis of the vocabulary denoting insects in Russian and Chinese, containing a differential feature of the aspect of insect impact on objects of the surrounding world. To achieve this goal, the research uses the following methods: classification, semantic analysis, component analysis and comparative analysis. The subject of this article is the vocabulary that designates insects and reflects their impact on objects in the world around them in Russian and Chinese. This aspect of insect vocabulary has not been studied before. The research focuses on such key concepts as "aspect", which is defined as "a set of similar families that characterize the features of the object of nomination in a given perspective" [2, p. 39], as well as "entomonym" ‒ a term used to denote the names of various insect species, their varieties and stages of metamorphosis [3, 3]. Entomonyms refer to zoomorphic vocabulary and, as a rule, reflect the characteristic features of specific insect species [4, 5]. We have previously compiled a corpus of vocabulary of this group in Russian and Chinese. Russian Russian Noun Dictionary, edited by L.G. Babenko, The Great Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language, edited by S.A. Kuznetsov, and the Dictionary of Modern Chinese, edited by Liu Shuxiang and Ding Shenshu. The identified corpus includes 91 units in Chinese and 69 in Russian. A component analysis of the selected lexical units, carried out for the purpose of comparative analysis of their component composition, revealed both similarities and differences in their semantics in Russian and Chinese. As a result of the analysis, a semantic complex of categorical semes (hereinafter referred to as CS) and DP has been identified, which characterize the properties of the selected group of words [6, 7]. The results obtained make it possible to classify lexical units. A component analysis of vocabulary classification based on word identifiers and DP. It was found that the semantic complex of the lexico-semantic group (hereinafter referred to as LSG) "Insects" includes the following categories: "external characteristics of insects", "eating behavior of insects", "insect effects on objects of the surrounding world", "life expectancy", "smell", "type of sounds", "detachment", "number of insects", "movement characteristics", "habits", "sex of the individual", "method of reproduction", "habitat", "stage of development". Based on these KLS identifiers, a further classification of subgroups was carried out, depending on the differential families (hereinafter referred to as DS) included in the meaning of the entomonyms. Thus, the subgroup "insect effects on objects of the surrounding world" includes the DS aspects "general assessment of insect effects", "insect effects on plants", "insect effects on living beings: animals and humans", "insect effects on objects". It is important to note that one vocabulary with the semantics of "insect" can have many features, so the entomonyms naming it belong to several groups and subgroups at once, which often overlap [8]. The DS aspects "general assessment of insect impact", "insect impact on plants", "insect impact on living beings: animals and humans", "insect impact on an object" define the distinctive features of the LSG "insect". Representatives of these aspects interpret insects' connections with the environment, as well as the variety and specificity of their interactions [9]. Results of the DP analysis of the aspect "insect impact on objects of the surrounding world" in Russian Let us turn to a more detailed description of the results obtained as a result of the analysis of the entomonyms of the Russian language from the DP aspect of "the effect of insects on objects of the surrounding world". So, in the corpus of Russian dictionary definitions we have selected, 28 lexemes contain an indication of the DP aspect of "insect impact on objects of the surrounding world," which is 20.58% of the total number of lexemes. Among them, in 20 cases (28.99% of the total), a "general assessment of insect exposure" is given. The DS aspect "insect effect on the plant" is represented by 15 tokens (21.74%). The DS aspect "the influence of insects on living beings: animals and humans" is contained in 10 tokens (14.49%). The DS aspect of "the influence of insects on objects" was recorded in 3 tokens (4.35%). "Impact" is defined as "an action exerted by someone, by something. on whom-L., what-L." [10]. The "general assessment of insect exposure" is an assessment of the behavior of insects in the world around them, fixed in language. This assessment can be either positive or negative, depending on the effect of insects [11]. We found that all 20 entomonyms (flea, pest, woodcutter, beetle, bark beetle, cabbage, dipper, gadfly, locust, cockroach, aphid, crunch, silkworm, copperhead, telenomus, phylloxera, worm, turtle, scab, moth) included in the group "general assessment of insect exposure" contain negative evaluative semantics expressed by the lexical representative "pest". It is worth noting that in definitions, some representatives of words not only indicate that insects called entomonyms belong to pests, but also determine the object of their destructive and even intrusive effects [13, 14]. Specific objects of influence are listed in the following groups: "the influence of insects on plants", "the influence of insects on living beings: animals and humans" and "the influence of insects on objects". The DS aspect of "the influence of insects on plants" indicates the nature of the interaction of insects with the flora of the surrounding world. So, many insects are "forest pests": bark beetle, Khrushchev, woodcutter [15]. Some of the representatives in the group "insect effects on plants" reflect several aspects of their effects. For example, insects can have a devastating effect on different types of crops or on woodlands: some insects are "pests of potatoes and cereals" [17]. The bark beetle, "gnawing bark and wood" [15], has a devastating effect on trees. The silkworm and caterpillar are also "dangerous pests of tree plantations" [15]. In this case, the definition of "dangerous" indicates the degree of harm, and the nominations of specific crops or tree species indicate the area of harm. The representatives "forest", "potato", "grain", "bark", "wood" and "tree plantation" denote objects of insect influence. The caterpillar and cabbage beetle are pests of agricultural crops during their larval stage. In dictionary definitions, this is described as follows: a caterpillar is "usually harmful to agricultural plants" [15]; a turtle is an insect that "is a dangerous pest of cereals" [17]; a cabbage is "a caterpillar that eats cabbage and other cruciferous plants" [17]. Among the definitions of Russian entomonyms, there are those that do not indicate a specific object of influence, broadly indicating the area of harmful influence. Thus, a scab is a "pest of plants" [18]. Aphids also harm many plants, being defined as "plant lice". Locusts, in turn, also have a wide range of destructive effects, the definition indicates that it is an insect that "destroys vegetation and crops" [15]. At the same time, insects, which are probably monitored more carefully, are described more specifically in definitions. Thus, phylloxera affects only one plant species, representing a "pest of grapes" [17]. The impact of insects on living beings: animals and humans is mainly negative. In the studied Russian material, the only useful insect for animals is telenomus, which acts as a regulator of the number of harmful insects. Telenomus is an insect that "parasitizes insect eggs ... and is used to control these pests" [17]. A significant part of the negative impact of insects on animals is manifested in their role as vectors of pathogens of infectious or parasitic diseases. Thus, horsefly, flea, louse, mosquito, fly, according to definitions, "are carriers of pathogens of dangerous diseases" [15]. The definitions of these representatives specify specific diseases caused by the pathogenic state of a living organism: flea – the causative agent of plague, lice – typhus, mosquito – malaria, fly – typhus, dysentery and other diseases. Some definitions that use the syntactic forms "for what," "to whom," and "which" indicate the object of pathogen influence. Thus, the horsefly is defined as a "carrier of pathogens of diseases of farm animals" [17], fleas and lice are dangerous "for humans and animals" [18]. The female horsefly "causes extremely painful bites to animals and humans"; the mosquito "causes painful bites" [19].These insects cause physical suffering to humans in the form of painful bites. In comparison, the definition of a "pest" directly indicates the destructive effect of an insect on environmental objects: "causing harm in everyday life" [15]. In the DS group of the "influence on an object" aspect, the syntactic model "participle + complement / circumstance" is used, which explicates the specifics of the harmful effects of various types of pests on objects. Consider the following examples: • warehouse pests are defined as insects that "cause harm in the warehouse economy" [16]; • woodworms are characterized as insects that "wear out wooden parts of buildings and furniture" [15]; • The book-eating worm is described as an insect that "gets started in old papers and books" [18]. Thus, in the Russian language, a number of lexemes reflect the DP aspect of "the impact of insects on objects of the surrounding world." A significant part of them characterizes the phenomenon in a negative way, including the general effect of insects on people, plants and objects. Harmfulness to flora associated with damage to agricultural and forest crops, or to fauna and humans, in particular the role of insects as carriers of dangerous diseases, is often emphasized. However, there are exceptions related to beneficial effects. The impact on objects is expressed in specialized cases, including damage to structures. Dictionary definitions usually contain clarification about the nature and extent of harm, forming links between insects and their environment [11, 12]. The results of the DP analysis of the aspect "insect impact on objects of the surrounding world" in Chinese Next, let's turn to the materials of the Chinese language. The corpus we compiled contains 42 lexemes indicating the DP aspect of "insect impact on objects of the surrounding world," which is 46.15% of the total number of lexemes studied. Among them, in 24 units (26.37% of the total number), the "general impact assessment" aspect is presented. The DS aspect of "effect on the plant" is recorded in 26 tokens (28.57%). The DS aspect "the influence of insects on living beings: animals and humans" is noted in 11 tokens (11.09%). The DS aspect of "influence on the subject" is presented in 5 lexemes (5.49%). The DS group of the "general assessment of insect exposure" aspect in Chinese indicates whether insects are harmful or beneficial. Most insects are pests, they include the pest, woodcutter, Kirkaldyia deyrollei (a type of giant water bug), cabbage caterpillar, cabbage moth, aphid, carapace, large urticaria, grasshopper, moth, locust, dragonfly, cockroach, crunch, greenhouse whitefly, Asian stem firefly, Cirpsis knipuncta (a type of scooper butterfly), an insect pupa. A small part of insects are useful for the ecosystem, animals and human life, these include useful insects, ground beetles, dragonflies, seasonal insects, ladybugs [16]. In addition, some insects at different stages of their metamorphosis or under different conditions play different roles in the ecosystem, which is recorded in the definitions. For example, a butterfly, "some of whose larvae eat crops" [20], is a pest. At the same time, butterfly larvae can eat harmful insects, such as aphids, in which case they are rated as useful insects. Another vivid illustration of the polar assessment of insect exposure is the metamorphosis of the "water scorpion" [20]. According to the definition, "young larvae feed on small insects" [20], thus influencing the regulation of mosquitoes and representing useful insects. At the same time, at a more mature stage, they "hunt fish fry" [20], becoming "pests in freshwater fisheries" [20]. Therefore, depending on the different effects of insects on the environment, they are defined as beneficial or harmful. The representatives "small insects", "harvest", "parasite", "mosquito extermination" and "fish fry" indicate the objects of insect exposure. The DS aspect of the "insect effect on the plant" is manifested through verbs and clarifying definitions that emphasize the nature of the insect effect. For example, a woodcutter "eats mulberries, fruit and tea trees" [20], which demonstrates the destructive effect of insects on woody plants. Cabbage moths and cabbage aphids "damage vegetable crops, especially cruciferous ones" [16]. Here, attention is focused on the harmful nature of their effects. Aphids, crustaceans, grasshoppers, moths, winter scoops, locusts, and moths are generally described as "agricultural pests" [20]. Cottonwoods "suck the juice from the stems and fruits of soybeans, rice, and cotton" [20], which indicates their negative impact on specific crops. Special attention is paid to such pests as the greenhouse whitefly, which damages "112 families and 653 plant species" [13]. Its harmfulness is emphasized through the enumeration of damaged crops, such as "cucumbers, beans, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, wax pumpkin, beans" and others. Drosophila "often harms the growth of tropical fruits" [20]. The stick insect "feeds on leaves" [16]. In contrast, the firefly "eats pests" [20], which benefits the crop. Mantis is "good for agriculture" [20]. Thus, each of the insects has a clearly defined influence ‒ harmful or beneficial, which is reflected in the corresponding DS. The DS aspect "the influence of insects on living beings: animals and humans" highlights the role of various insects in the context of their effects on humans and animals, which can be both positive and negative. When describing beneficial insects, their beneficial effects on the environment are indicated. For example, beneficial insects "directly or indirectly benefit humans" [20]. The water scorpion "plays a certain role in the destruction of mosquitoes" [20]. The words "benefit" and "kill mosquitoes" indicate ways of displaying useful behavior, and the word "person" indicates the addressee. The negative effects of insects are mainly associated with the spread of diseases. Thus, a louse is capable of "transmitting many diseases" [20]. Adult bovine worms "can transmit various diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever" [20]. Cockroaches can also spread these infections. The pappatachny mosquito, in particular females, is a "carrier of kalaazar and mosquito fever" [20]. The representatives "cholera", "typhoid fever", "kalaazar" and "mosquito fever" indicate the types of viruses that are transmitted through insects. The term "adult worms" specifies the stage of development of the parasites that pose a threat. Female mosquitoes and midges "suck the blood of humans and animals,"[20] which makes them potential carriers of various diseases. The representatives "suck the blood" highlights the way infections spread. As for bees, they can sting humans, and the term "sting" indicates their potential danger and impact on human health. The influence of insects on inanimate objects, according to definitions in Chinese, is predominantly destructive. For example, termites are "extremely destructive to forests, buildings, bridges and railways" [16]. "Extremely" highlights the degree of their destructiveness. Locusts can "damage old papers and books" [20]. Cockroach "often contaminates food and spoils clothes" [20]. Woodworm crustaceans and drilling balls "damage utensils" [16], and scaly fish "contribute to the decomposition of clothes and books" [20]. Verbs such as "destroy," "wind up," "pollute," "spoil," and "promote decomposition" describe ways in which insects destroy or damage objects, which has a significant impact on a person's daily life. Conclusion So, in Chinese, insects, as well as in Russian, are mainly divided into harmful and useful, depending on their role in the ecosystem. Pests cause damage to crops, trees and are carriers of diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever. In turn, beneficial insects either reduce the pest population or play another positive role. Insects are also capable of destroying inanimate objects: for example, termites damage building structures, and cockroaches spoil food and fabrics. Thus, definitions in this context make a clear distinction between beneficial and harmful insects, focusing on their role in the ecosystem and the specifics of their impact on different objects. A comparative analysis of the Russian and Chinese languages, devoted to the description of the DP "the effects of insects on objects of the surrounding world", reveals both intersections and differences in the principles of classification. In Russian, only 20.58% of lexemes relate to the general characteristics of insect exposure, while in Chinese this figure reaches 46.15%. In both languages, the nature of the accent is mainly focused on the harmful effects of insects, especially in the context of their effects on plants, animals and humans. Russian definitions emphasize to a greater extent the negative sides of the impact, such as the transfer of pathogenic agents and the destruction of material objects. In contrast, Chinese formulations capture the beneficial role of certain insects: fireflies and mantises, useful in agriculture. It is noteworthy that in Russian such specific examples are contrasted with only isolated mentions, such as telenomus in the regulatory function. The effects of insects on plants are associated by representatives of both languages with damage to agriculture, however, Chinese descriptions provide detailed harmfulness to various specific species. That is, the lexical balance and detail in Chinese are more pronounced. In addition, with respect to inanimate objects, languages show significant lexical similarities in the characteristics of damage. References
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