Yarotska G. Verbal representation of economic consciousness in the Russian language and culture

Our analysis of the semantic evolution of the Russian lexicon relating to economic concepts has uncovered certain value-laden connotations - reoccurring in the meanings of a number of Russian words and phraseological units. The system of presumptions - which are correlated and recurrent in the lexical meanings of multiple lexemes in the Russian language - represents a certain linguistic archetype, or a linguistic matrix, that is subconsciously perceived by Russian-language speakers as axiomatic. Such presumptions are not explicit, but they still reveal the anti-utilitarian and anti-hedonistic orientation of Russian economic consciousness. In such consciousness, the concepts of collectivism, social equality, social justice and domestic austerity have priority over utilitarian values and the concepts of fair competition, protection of private property rights and a high level of quality of life, in the materialistic sense. The reasons for such conceptualization of economic space lie in a certain axiomatic code in which wealth and private property do not have an intrinsic value, in contrast to Western economic consciousness, where such concepts have become sacred.