Superlative of attributive words as a means of representating qualitative semantics in M. Tsvetaeva’s prose

The article examines the specifics of the representation of superlative and elative semantics of epithet words in epithet complexes in Marina Tsvetaeva’s prose. 66 samples of prose were chosen as the material for this study. Continuous sampling was used to select epithet complexes that were further processed using stylistic, cognitive and statistical analysis. First, it was discovered that the concept of quality, an attribute, is one of the individual style features in the poet’s work being expressed in the varied verbalization of the graduality of an attribute. Another finding was that epithet words as part of an epithet complex form epithet paradigms. The study also demonstrated that the supreme degree of quality of a feature is expressed in the form of the superlative degree of 28 the epithet word as well as in occasional epithet complexes constructed by the poet in her prose. It is the prose that encourages M. Tsvetaeva to subject epithet nominations to linguistic reflection and motivate their forming, and it makes prose an important source of author’s understanding of her creativity and language. The obtained results enable to conclude that in Marina Tsvetaeva’s texts, the concept of quality is an important way of expressing the attitude to reality, and the extremeness of a qualitative attribute reflects the immensity and depth of her personality.