UNDERSTANDING MUSIC IN RUSSIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Abstract

The paper deals with understanding of music in the Russian linguistic consciousness as explained from the standpoint of linguoculturology. This approach makes it possible to identify and describe the conceptual, figurative, and value features of this mental formation. The conceptual features of the concept “music” include the generic feature “art consisting of expressing pleasant sound artistic images” and the specific features “melody,” “harmony,” and “transmission through voice or musical instruments.” The figurative features of the concept “music” are as follows. It is shown that music is a high means of self-expression, is represented by a variety of musical genres, purifies the soul, bringing great pleasure to musicians and listeners, but sometimes can irritate people in the case of poor or inappropriate performance. In a figurative sense, music is understood as a harmony of a higher order. The evaluative content of this concept is differentiated in proverbs, aphorisms, and poetic texts. In proverbs, music is understood as an allegorical sign for recommendations of proper behavior; in aphorisms, it is about the purpose of music, its significance and possibilities. The poetic understanding of music consists in the recognition of the joy it gives to people, its life-affirming power, its divine essence, but sometimes also in the statement of sorrowful experiences.