Axiological Component of Paroemias: Specificity and Role in Intercultural Communication

Abstract

The article examines the axiological component of verbal units that comprise the paremiological funds in languages with different structure. The content of proverbs and sayings reflects cultural specificity along with the values adopted in a particular ethnic community. The analysis of 865 examples presented in the Russian, English, French and Latin languages has confirmed the hypothesis that the values of people are vividly reflected in paroemias. The author’s conception of “axiological component” has been clarified. Axiological component is understood as the value associated with the assessment included into the semantics of a paremiological unit. The semantic component of paroemias manifests itself in determining the value of an object or phenomenon in relation to other objects or phenomena. Also, it may reflect the work of categorization and classification mechanisms. The idea of axiological component correlation with the hierarchy of the value system (described by one of the founders of axiology H. Rickert) predetermines the novelty of this research. It is concluded that paroemias can be classified based on the content of the axiological component. The following groups have been singled out: behavioral instruction, basic life values, object assessment, subject assessment and assessment of the subject’s behavior. The didactics of paroemias can be expressed in explicit and implicit forms, but one way or another, it is present in every verbal unit. The value component is a serious obstacle in successful interaction; therefore, a projective analysis of the functioning of paroemias under the conditions of intercultural communication has been carried out.