Classifications of personality trait lexemes (exemplified by the lexis of Russian and English)

Abstract

The article introduces the concept of characterologism — a lexeme denoting a character trait in conjunction with the concept it expresses. Three groups of classifications of characterologisms are identified: ontological, linguoculturological and linguistic. The ontological group reflects the essence of characterological concepts/concepts and the meanings of corresponding lexemes. It includes a number of classifications, namely everyday and scientific classifications, as well as a classification of constant and situational characterological units. The linguoculturological group reflects the linguocultural aspects of characterologisms, the first classification includes cross-cultural universals and culturally determined characterological concepts, the second — characterologisms simple and complex in semantics. The linguistic group corresponds to various linguistic aspects of characterological vocabulary. It includes the following classifications of characterological units: synonymous/antonymic series in combination with etymological characteristics, semantic, stylistic, idiomatic, syntactic, morphological and word-building (morphemic) classifications.