About the "supertask" ("sverhzadacha") of K. S. Stanislavsky... (about the history of the word supertask (sverhzadacha) in the Russian language)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the history of the appearance and functioning of the word supertask (sverhzadacha) in the Russian language. Two lines of the lexeme functioning were distinguished: the first is associated with the etymology of the word, the second – with its use by K. S. Stanislavsky in the terminology system and the further entry of the unit into general use on the basis of determinologization. It is interesting that the second meaning has acquired the most widespread use. Only in the past two decades, the word has begun to lose its connection with the process of artistic creation. The purpose of the study was to briefly review the history of the word: from its first fixation in the Russian language and application by K. S. Stanislavsky (to designate one of the key concepts of Method Acting) up to modern contexts of use. The entry of the lexeme into the language was investigated using structural methods. The methods of contextual and distributive analysis were used to analyse both the contexts in which Stanislavsky used this word and the process of its fixation in the National Corpus of the Russian language. Statistical analysis was used to trace the dynamics of integration of the lexeme into the Russian language and its fixation in various spheres. The methods of component and comparative analysis were used to describe the formation mechanism of the initial term in the historical context. Borrowings of the term supertask (sverhzadacha) were found in other languages, indicating the spread of Stanislavsky’s system. The conclusion is drawn that the word supertask (sverhzadacha) functions in the Russian language mainly as a term from Stanislavsky’s system, gradually becoming determinologized and returning to the meaning conveying the logical sum of its constituent components.