Lazebna N. Structural, Semantic and Functional Features of Computer Terminological Units with a Figurative Component in Their Meaning in Modern English

The thesis is devoted to the analysis of structural, semantic and functional features of computer terminological units with a figurative component in their meaning in modern English. The notions of modern English textual space, an English computer term, the categories of term motivation and imagery have been defined. The ways of verbalization and motivation mechanisms traced in the formation and functioning of the computer term. In terms of sociospheric and anthropocentric reality paradigm, English computer terms refer to the emotive-figurative group of "mixed reality". Semantic models of the formation of English computer terms with a figurative component in their meaning, i.e. the static direct anthropic model, the static indirect anthropic model, the dynamic indirect anthropic and the static non-anthropic models have been determined. The ways of word-formation used for coining English computer terms with a figurative component in their meaning are compounding, affixation, acronymization, abbreviation and telescopy. Abbreviation actualises implicit imagery of the newly-coined terminological unit. Alphabetic-numeric abbreviation reflects a digital nature of computer technologies. Semantic restriction, which is peculiar to English computer textual space being aimed at generalization of phenomena and an individual's activities on the Internet, is expressed by means of acronimization. Affixation is an effective method of the formation of English innovative computer terminological units.