THE PECULARITIES OF THE VERBALIZATION OF THE NOTION SPACE EXPLORATION IN ENGLISH (A STUDY OF THE NOVEL “THE MARTIAN” BY ANDY WEIR)

Abstract

The article deals with the notion of Space Exploration. Its semantic and structural peculiarities have been analysed. The notion Space Exploration has been studied and foregrounded in fiction, namely in the science-popular novel. Several lexicographic resources have been applied for the comprehensive analysis. The study has been conducted in accordance with existent researches in the field. The terms that represent space sphere have been specified in fiction that cannot be treated as typical context. The etymological transformation of the lexeme has been traced. The evolution of the corresponding notion in Ukrainian has been taken into account. The notion Space Exploration has been admitted to be the nucleus of the lexico-semantic field Space Exploration. The meaning of the lexeme has been worked out in both ways – its practical usage and theoretical definitions. It has been illustrated that Space Exploration can alter its meaning contextually and some semantic alternatives have been introduced. The structure of the lexico-semantic field Space Exploration has been organized. Lexico-semantic groups that constitute the lexico-semantic field under consideration have been outlined. Nuclear lexemes have been defined. Some lexicosemantic groups have been further structured into lexico-semantic subgroups because of their thematic heterogeneity. The complexity of the notion Space Exploration has also contributed to the detailed structural organisation of the field. The peculiarities of lexical units and specificity of their functioning in fiction have been highlighted as well. The frequency of usage has been accentuated. Space Equipment has been acknowledged as the only lexico-semantic subgroup comprising nouns exclusively. It has been emphasized that acronyms are often found in fiction to represent the sphere of space. It has been found out that all lexico-semantic groups and subgroups are interconnected whereas the boundaries are not distinct.