Semantisation of prefixes: methods and functions (based on Russian poetry)

Abstract

The study aims to examine a rather complex and at the same time under-studied phenomenon in the Russian language, i. e. the semantisation of prefixal morphemes. We set ourselves the task of identifying prefixation patterns and the functions of this phenomenon on the material of Russian poets’ works. Using various methods, primarily observation, analysis, and synthesis, the morphemics resources are considered from the standpoint of both lexical meaning formation and the actualisation and correlation of words in the utterance structure. In the course of study, it was possible to find out that differently implemented semantisation of prefixes performs emphatic, expressive, emotive, text-production, and aesthetic functions. Moreover, it helps to gain an insight into the work, reveal the depth of the conception, and show the author’s position. Such means as repetition of words of the same word-formation pattern, the use of polyprefixed verbs, word-formation anaphora, graphic word-break, intensification of negation, parallelism of non-prefixed and prefixed verbs with the same root, antonymy of verbs with different or single prefixes contribute especially actively and productively to this. The paper concludes that poets, thanks to the actualisation of prefixes, draw readers’ attention to the hidden meaning of pivot words in literary pieces, place semantic and expressive emphases in the text.