Tishchenko K. Verbalization of the concept of VATAN/HOMELAND in the Turkish language

The aim of the research is to analyze the functioning of the concept of HOMELAND/VATAN in the Turkish linguistic mentality with emphasis being made on diachronic aspects of its semantic evolution. As a result of the lexicographical analysis lexemes of the Turk (yurt, il, el) and Arab origin (vatan as a major objectivator, memleket, sıla), representing the concept of HOMELAND, as well as indirectly associated with the concept denotations of a foreign land (gurbet, yaban, dış) and lexemes and word combinations used for objectification of the concept during the Ottoman times have been identified. Etymological reconstruction of a basic form, analysis of lexical and paremiological correspondence, determination of a complex of meanings along with identification of the prevailing semantic load for each lexeme enabled modeling of the preliminary conceptual structure of the concept of HOMELAND. It has been discovered, that the concept of HOMELAND in the meaning of country/state is most often represented by the lexeme vatan. Diachronic deployment of the conceptual elements of the HOMELAND has been researched in old Turkic and Ottoman languages. Thus, in the old Turkic language concept of HOMELAND was represented with lexemes il, el and yurt. The oldest recorded meaning of the lexeme yurt is a territory/area for nomadic existence, but due to processes of the semantic extension the mentioned lexeme acquired a meaning of a region, country and homeland. With the adoption of Islam Arabic borrowings entered into the language, at the same time concept of HOMELAND acquired vatan as a new lexical representation.