PROCESSES OF AREAL VARIATION OF ROMANCE LANGUAGES AND CULTURES (ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE FRENCH-SPEAKING SPACE)

The article aims to study modern aspects of the variation of linguistic and cultural space and to clarify approaches to its study, using the example of the French-speaking space. The role of Romance studies in the development of the principles of spatial research, the establishment of spatial patterns, mapping and the creation of atlases is shown. It is proved that the peculiarity of the Romance school of areal studies is the increasing desire to reflect the connection of language and culture. Taking into account these features, it is established that the French-speaking space is a vast, fragmented area with a core and regional centers, showing a tendency to expand, having relative integrity, which is supported by the interconnections and development trends of its constituent zones. The question of whether the unity of the Francophone area is preserved or weakened as it expands requires further research. The results of the study confirm the immanent nature of variability as a property of language, the complexity of the relationship “center” - “periphery”, the role of borders in language and culture, the importance of self-esteem of speakers in maintaining the integrity of the area. These questions are important for studying not only the Francophone area, but also the areas of other supranational communities formed on the basis of other languages - Romance and non-Romance.