Anna Dudok
PhD, Associate Professor at the Department of Humanities
Lviv Polytechnic National University,
Lviv, Ukraine
e-mail: annadudok1995@ukr.net
ORCID ID: http://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-6906-0672
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24195/2616-5317-2026-42.7
SUMMARY
This article is devoted to an analysis of English verbal prefixes in terms of their meanings and senses at the paradigmatic and syntagmatic levels of language. It examines the characteristics of prefixes in terms of their origin, transferability, negation and valency, as well as their semantic features (polysemy, synonymy). At the semantic level, attention is focused on semes as components of a generalised meaning, which includes primary and secondary meanings. The process of forming various meanings is carried out using the method of semantic opposition and combinations of semes that form the stable, invariant meaning of the verbal prefix. The relevance of the article lies in the fact that the processes of semantic filling are expressed through a developed system of highly productive verbal prefixes. The main focus of the article is: firstly, on identifying the patterns of possible semantic variation in the functioning of English prefixed verbs; secondly, on the need to elucidate the mechanism of correlation between prefixed verbs and various specialised concepts across different scientific disciplines; thirdly, on the unlimited potential and necessity of using prefixed verbs in the creation of terms and term combinations within disciplinary terminology systems. It is argued that the meaning of a prefixed technical verb is structurally formed from basic semes combined with one another, which create a specific structure and introduce subjective aspects of meaning in accordance with the technical linguistic system. It is argued that in modern English there is a tendency towards a reduction in the role of Romance and an increase in the proportion of Germanic prefixed verbs. It is concluded that the process of generating various meanings is inherent in the generalising nature of the prefixed verb, in the abstract process of thought, and accordingly ensures effective communication.
Key words: prefix, word formation, meaning, meanings, verbal prefix, component analysis, semantic opposition, invariant.
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