Terms of endearment in German and the aspects of their lexicographic description within the framework of the linguoculturological approach

Abstract

The article discusses the terms of endearment that function as the affectionate etiquette expressions in German. Some terminological problems related to determining their status as the primary element of intimate discourse are considered. The main ways of building of terms of endearment as well as their semantic and derivational features are revealed. The terms of endearment are considered to be the linguistic universals that have the special cultural potency due to their ability to express typical emotive and evaluative reactions and represent the most significant stereotypes and standards of the linguocultural community. The describing of the terms of endearment requires a synergetic approach, which is not limited only to structural and semantic classification. It is necessary to study and interpret the images in the categories of a particular linguistic culture through the prism of cultural stereotypes, ideas and attitudes. The terms of endearment are created by speakers mainly through the use of metaphorical and metonymic images supplemented by diminutive suffixation and word composition. The most productive is the biomorphic cultural code. In addition, the article presents some conceptual considerations about the structure and content of the dictionary of German terms of endearment with cultural and historical comments. The linguoculturological comment on the inner forms of terms of endearment allows describing the cultural stereotypical vision and perception of partners. The use of linguistic symbols in the terms of endearment is due to archetypal ideas, mythologems, as well as social stereotypes and attitudes in the German linguistic and cultural community.