Language of Physical Culture and Sports in the Context of Civilization Linguistics

• Main Authors: Zilya R. Palyutina, Viktor Ya. Kolotov, Alexandra I. Kolokolova
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sourthern Federal University 2018-06-01
• Series: Izvestiâ Ûžnogo Federalʹnogo Universiteta: Filologičeskie Nauki
• Subjects: physical culture; sports; the language of sports; terminology; naming units
• Online Access: http://philol-journal.sfedu.ru/index.php/sfuphilol/article/view/1103

This paper highlights the importance of physical culture and sports as a specific human activity, and sports terminology each term of which is an element in the system of numerous lexical units carrying special information related to sports. The relationship between physical culture and sports is touched upon: the first is the generic one. The analytical review of the physical culture content and definitions, specificities of its functioning and reasons for the synonymy is presented. The analysis of definitions of the key notions has revealed the reasons for the synonymy in sports terminology. The borrowing processes are known to lead to the development of new lexical units with common semantics that impact on the replacement of words from original sources. It has been stated that the application of some linguistic approaches can result in the development of new research fields. One of such methods is considering language as the transmission of the accumulated knowledge of civilization that can be better understood using comparative methods. Data derived from a pool of linguistic studies conducted by investigators allow linguists to elucidate the mechanism of identifying specificities of sports terminology with the involvement of alternative techniques non-contradicting each other. The subject of analysis is the implementation of English naming units. The system of multi-level units denoting sports notions has been shown to be developed. The data obtained show that sports terminology originating from antiquity is currently used in the modern world.