Article

Name: The Word-formation Category of Abstract Nouns in the Old Germanic Languages

Authors: Novitskaya Irina Vladimirovna

Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russian Federation

In the section Linguistics

Abstract: The paper presents some features that allow us to single out a word-formation category of abstract nouns in the three old Germanic languages: Gothic, Old High German and Old Icelandic. The old Germanic word-formation category of abstract nouns is characterized by the «poly-motivation» of its word-formation basis, which means that abstract nouns can be derived from any part of speech. All the word-formation types of the old Germanic abstract nouns shape the corresponding word-formation category on the basis of their word-formation meaning that implies a high level of generalization. It can be defined as «an objectified notion that is named by its derivational basis and that is conceived independently of its bearer or doer». The structure of the word-formation category is described in terms of the «field theory» which, in its turn, operates such notions as «productivity» and «prototype». The terms in question are discussed in relation to the word-formation category.

Keywords: Оld germanic languages, word-formation, word-formation category, productivity, field, prototype

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