The cultural component of lexical units

Here are some examples of territorially determined words, referring to the natural environment. The Yorkshire Dales (долина, дол) – an area of countryside, valleys and villages in the north of England. They are mainly in the county of North Yorkshire but also partly in Cambria. The area became a national park in 1954. It is considered one of the most beautiful areas in England and is especially popular with British people on walking holidays or making tours around it by car. The Yorkshire Moors ( торфянистая местность, поросшая вереском) – areas of high, open land with few trees in North Yorkshire, England. They include the area known as the North York Moors. Fen country ( фены, болотистая местность на востоке Англии – an area of low wet land in eastern England; loch (= lake, Scotland); white cliffs (меловые утёсы). The white cliffs of Dover – the first bit of England that can be seen when crossing the English Channel from France; a song sung by Vera Lynn during the Second World War; canyon (AmE); prairie (AmE); muskeg (AmE озёрное болото, жидкая торфяная почва); cree (AmE топь, болото). Some more examples of culturally marked words, referring to food and drinks ethnographic realia, words without (full) equivalents. Yorkshire pudding – a baked mixture of flour, milk and eggs usu. served with or before beef esp. as part of a Sunday paper. Lancashire cheese is a type of mild white cheese that breaks easily into small pieces. It is traditionally made in Lancashire. Lancashire hotpot is a dish, originally made in Lancashire, consisting of lamb and other ingredients covered with slices of potato and baked in an oven. High tea – an early evening meal taken in some parts of Britain instead of afternoon tea or a later dinner, esp. by children whose parents eat separately after the children are in bed. Haggis -a food eatenin Scotland, made from the heart and other organs of a sheep cut up and boiled inside a bag made from the sheep’s stomach. Haggis is typically eaten with boiled turnips and potatoes, known in Scotland as neeps and tatties. It is considered to be typical Scottish food.

It is quite true that the vocabulary used by American speakers, has distinctive features of its own. More then that: there are whole groups of words which belong to American vocabulary exclusively and constitute its specific feature. These words are called Americanisms. Later proper Americanisms are represented by names of objects which are called differently in the United States and in England.

Let’s investigate the functional differences of similar words, for example in the sphere of education. The fact is that these comparable words have additional shades of word meanings (overtones). Non-English language use is realized in a non-uniform manner depending on sociocultural conditions, the degree of ethnic self-awareness, etc. These lexical units reflect the nationally-cultural peculiarities in the lexical system of the English language. E.g. Academic teacher; instructor (AmE), university teacher; don (esp. at Oxford and Cambridge), lecturer (BrE) – преподаватель (ВУЗа); alumnus(AmE), graduate – (бывший) выпускник ВУЗа; alumnus(AmE), school-leaver (BrE) – (бывший) выпускник школы; ASEP (after school enrichment program) (AmE), extra-curricular work/ activities (BrE) – внеклассная работа; assistant professor (AmE), senior lecturer (BrE) – ассистент; преподаватель (ВУЗа); associate professor (AmE), reader (BrE) – cтарший преподаватель; доцент; (school) auditorium (AmE), assembly hall (BrE) – актовый зал; buzzer (AmE), bell (BrE) –школьный звонок; college; school; university (AmE), school (BrE) – учебное заведение; community/ junior college (AmE), college (BrE) – техникум; профессионально-техническое училище; diploma; (high) school diploma(AmE), GCE (the General Certificate of Education) (BrE) – документ об окончании средней школы; аттестат; dorm (itory) (AmE), hall(s) of residence; hostel (BrE) – студенческое общежитие; dropout (AmE), certificate (BrE) – справка о незаконченном среднем образовании; elective courses; electives (AmE), optional classes; optionals; subsidiary curriculum (BrE) – факультатив; expert (AmE), specialist; subject teacher (BrE) – преподаватель-предметник; faculty (AmE), (members) teachers; staff; permanent staff (BrE) – педагогический коллектив; преподавательский состав; freshman (AmE), 1st year undergraduate (undergrad); fresher (BrE) – первокурсник; (full) professor, professor (BrE) – профессор; grade (AmE), form; class (BrE) – класс (в школе); grade (AmE), mark (BrE) - оценка; отметка; grade/ elementary/ grammar school (ages 6-12) (AmE), primary school (infant school/ ages 5-7; junior school/ ages 7-11) (BrE) – начальная школа; graduate (AmE), school-leaver (BrE) – выпускник школы; graduate student (AmE), postgraduate student (BrE) – аспирант; graduate/ grad school (AmE), postgraduate school (BrE) – аспирантура.

Some of these units reflecting the nationally - cultural peculiarities in the English language are considered to be denotative realia (without equivalents) alumnus, fem. alumna, pl. alumni, alumnae fem. – a former student of a particular school, college or university; broadly a former member of any organization. Alumnus is associated with alma mater (Latin “generous mother”). The alma mater is an especially important idea to Americans. Alumni like to support, to promote the interests of their alma mater, to provide money for it. Alumni are active members of Alumni Associations.

It should be noted that there are similar words, though the Americans and the English use them in different meanings, are nevertheless found both in American and in British vocabularies. E.g. public school (BrE) – are, in most of Britain, independent schools and, despite their name, are not part of the state education system. Schools run by the state are called state schools. In Scotland however, which has a separate education system from the rest of Britain, the term public school refers to a state school. In the US a public school is a school run by the government.