eLIBRARY ID: 8377
ISSN: 2074-1588
eLIBRARY ID: 8377
ISSN: 2074-1588
This article continues a series of publications devoted to the study of the scientific register of geography (Komarova, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). The scientific language of geography comprises texts of different functional and stylistic orientation: stylistically marked popular science prose, neutral educational literature and scientific articles characterizes by idiomatically restricted language; each of them having figures of speech fullfiling different functions. In terminology metaphors are used as a nominative technique in many branches of geography. As a result of the analysis of geographical terms in Russian, English, French, German, Spanish I have identified semantic types of metaphorical terms with the following areas-sources: “man”, “parts of the human body”, “physiological features of man”, “human behavior”, “occupations, professions”, “animals, plants”, “clothing, household items, furniture”, “architecture, buildings, home details”, “devices, tools”, “mythical images”[Komarova, 2020]. In real scientific speech which in every way strives for clarity and accuracy we usually stop noticing metaphorical terms because they function as neutral words. Therefore, along with metaphorical terms scientists tend to use foreign borrowings which lack additional figurative meanings due to their isolation from the system of a given language. Thus, some borrowed geography terms in Russian are non-motivated, i.e. devoid of symbolic value, while their equivalents in foreign languages still retain their metaphoric nature and connotations; the conclusion is true for different languages. The article discusses and describes geographical terms confirming this statement.
The paper presents the structure, content and organization of the glossary of English verbs and their word combinations functioning in the geographic register of scientific speech. The glossary is compiled at the Department of Foreign Languages for the Faculty of Geography. It is a kind of “active” lexicographic source which helps students and scientists to master ESP of geographic disciplines. Verbs are given as part of the most common lexical and grammatical collocations such as river flows, sea level rises, rain falls accompanied by brief contexts illustrating their real usage in scientific articles, textbooks and terminological dictionaries on geography. Verbs of different kinds: terminological verbs, verbs of general English, verbs of general scientific vocabulary are usually used in recurrent collocations and free word combinations. Their linguistic functioning is confined to a set of rather simple and logically based patterns. These verbal word combinations serve as the “building material” of scientific speech in the field of Earth sciences. Thus, our glossary contains the most essential information about the use of basic geographical verbs. It can also serve as the material for testing the knowledge of geographic ESP.
The article examines the terminology introduced by M.V. Lomonosov in geosciences and the stylistic features of his natural science works as applied to the practice of teaching foreign languages at the Faculty of Geography of Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov, the founder of Moscow University, is a unique person that had the features of a public figure, scientist, historian, poet, artist, philosopher. His scientific heritage covers natural sciences and humanities. The teachers of the Department of Foreign Languages for the Faculty of Geography conduct “Lomonosov lessons” in classes of English, French, German, Spanish. Students give talks on various aspects of the scientific activity and biography of the famous Russian scholar. While preparing presentations students acquire relevant vocabulary, practice public speaking in foreign languages, and master translation skills. In addition to topics directly related to the activities of M.V. Lomonosov in the field of geography, our non-philological students are very interested in talking about Lomonosov, as philologist, especially about his development of Russian scientific and technical terminology and the formation of a style of scientific speech. This article presents the topics of the “Lomonosov lessons” at the interface of geography and philology. The attitude of M.V. Lomonosov to Russian and foreign languages is considered, and his high appreciation of the qualities of the Russian language is explained. The article discusses the origin and application of geography terms based on the study of Lomonosov’s scientific works in the field of various disciplines of Earth sciences, as well as techniques for creating geographical terms. The article analyzes excerpts from some of Lomonosov’s scientific works, where along with a neutral style of presentation there are examples of his original use of terms in metaphorical meanings. and other expressive stylistic means. The results of the study are applicable in the practice of teaching foreign languages to non-philological students.
