On the Conceptual Foundations of V. V. Kolesov's «Dictionary of Russian Mentality»

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the innovative lexicographic model underpinning V. V. Kolesov's "Dictionary of Russian Mentality," situating the inquiry within the interdisciplinary frameworks of historical semantics and cultural linguistics. The primary aim of the study is to elucidate the sophisticated methods through which the dictionary captures and represents deep-seated mental structures, moving beyond mere definition to trace the dynamic semantic trajectories of key cultural concepts. To achieve this, the research employs a multi-faceted methodological approach. This includes a hermeneutic analysis of individual dictionary entries to unpack layered meanings, a comparative historical method to track conceptual evolution across time, and elements of structural-semantic description to map relationships within the lexicon. The research material comprises the complete set of dictionary entries from the original two-volume edition, treated as a unified and coherent textual corpus encompassing approximately 250,000 tokens. This extensive body of data allows for a systematic investigation of the dictionary's internal architecture. The findings reveal that the dictionary successfully models Russian mentality not as a static set of traits but as a complex, stratified system of interacting semantic cores. These cores demonstrate remarkable historical continuity while accommodating internal differentiation. Crucially, the analysis identifies the dictionary's potential to facilitate a paradigm shift: from isolating and describing discrete concepts to analyzing the active mechanisms of their divergence, convergence, and ongoing semantic interaction. This key insight significantly expands the theoretical and practical research potential of the lexicographic format, establishing a robust foundation for future work aimed at formalizing and visualizing the intricate mental structures embedded within language.