Article

Name: Book review: Skovorodnikov A. P. Ecology of the Russian Language: A Monogr. Krasnoyarsk, SFU Publ., 2016, 388 p.

Authors: Ludmila I. Gorbunova

Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk, Russian Federation

In the section Review

Abstract: The review states that the most important scientific problems associated with the ecology of language are considered in the monograph. Also, the relevance of the issues studied by the author is noted. The problems of current state and development of the language are understood at a high philosophical and methodological level. The fact that the author differentiates adjacent theoretical concepts of «language ecology», «speech ecology», «speech culture» is highly appreciated in the review. Of significance for modern science is that A. P. Skvorodnikov defines the object and the subject of ecolinguistics and names the main problems of the current state of the Russian language. The most important in the monograph is the idea of the correlation of linguistic, mental and socio-cultural factors considered in the ecological aspect. It is noted that the author is not entirely consistent in considering this issue. The reviewer agrees that language is the result of thinking and is conditioned by it, and the development of consciousness occurs in and through the language. However, the reviewer believes that A. Р. Skovorodnikov defines too widely the subject of linguistic ecology as a scientific discipline, by stating that linguistics can only monitor public consciousness, but not influence it. The changes in the minds of native speakers are possible due to the policy aimed at preserving and developing the fundamental socio-cultural values reflected by the units of the Russian language. It is the loss of moral concepts that leads to the loss of words. The author of the monograph rightly argues that «trauma to the language can be inflicted only when the consciousness of people is traumatized». Hence, to preserve the language it is necessary to preserve the consciousness of people. However, this kind of activity is not the sphere of action of linguistics as a science. The second, no less significant part of the monograph, is devoted to the analysis of the linguistic material. Here, the author considers the language phenomena qualified as problem areas of speech/language. The author analyzes some facts and phenomena of the modern Russian language (borrowing, jargonization, symbolization, the transition of many words to the passive components of the language) and, from his research and teaching experience at the university during many years, draws conclusions about the functioning of the language. The description of the criteria for linguocreativity is a contribution of A. P. Skvorodnikov to the development of linguistics. The use of these criteria will allow a more objective assessment of the ecological/non-ecological status of the linguistic fact. The monograph of A. P. Skvorodnikov is valued as a significant and relevant scientific work summarizing the current problems of the language ecology and outlining the scientific prospects.

Keywords: ecological linguistics, Russian language, ecology of language, ecology of speech, speech culture, language picture of the world, language consciousness

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