We analyze a number of significant issues of historical lexicology and dialectology related to the development of the Russian literary language, as well as to the study of the nature of its inclusion in the national language. We trace the connection of the codified language with such extra-literary elements as folk patois, vernacular, jargons, we determine their historical significance for the creation in the 18th–19th centuries of a new formation language, built on a democratic basis. Northern Russian patois, including Kostroma, are regarded as the most archaic layer of linguistic phenomena that influenced the Moscow Koine, on the basis of which the literary language was later formed. In this study, the North Russian dialect vocabulary and narrower, Kostroma, is considered as a source of the formation of the vocabulary fund of the literary language, and the artistic, journalistic and scientific works of Kostroma writers and local historians of the late 19th – 20th centuries (A.O. Ablesimov, N.A. Nekrasov, А.N. Ostrovsky, S.V. Maksimov, I.M. Kasatkin, E.V. Chestnyakov, N.N. Vinogradov, V.I. Smirnov, A.V. Gromov, etc.), related to the Kostroma region, as one of the channels of the “migration” of a regional word into the literary language, which largely contributed to its adaptation and consolidation in a standardized language, the development of extensive lexical and semantic connections and relationships.

We analyze the layer of mythological vocabulary of Tambov patois that functions in the structure of formulas for intimidating children as communicative type texts, related to the sphere of traditional spiritual culture. We identify the structure features of such texts; composition of intimidating characters; features of their lexical expression, portrait characteristics (local affiliation, presence of hair, body pathologies) and harmful functions. Mythological characters, serving as intimidators, are deprived most of semantic features; the reduction of such names initial semantics can be compensated by the ideophonic features of these characters' nominations; the uncertainty of characters' appearance for intimidating children determines the inclusion in this set of subjects; the prevalence of folk pedagogical methods of intimidation is associated with the role played by fear and fright in the culture of childhood. For traditional culture bearers, intimidation can be recognized as a significant element of folk pedagogy, since it functioned not only on the verbal, but also on the actional levels. 

We consider the problem of language and concept in the framework of cognitive linguistics. The purpose of the work is to identify the mental differences in the conceptualization of the concept BEAR in the linguistic consciousness of the Russian and Chinese people. We present an approach according to which dictionary definitions are considered as a language representative of a concept called a dictionary word. The dictionary is considered as a collection of our knowledge about the world, which was formed as a result of its conceptualization and categorization. We compare different aspects of the lexeme BEAR in the “Dictionary of the Russian Language” (MAS) edited by A.P. Evgenyeva and the “Xinhua Zidian” edited by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: interpretation of the word, its illustrative materials, including phraseological units. In the study of a foreign language, reliance on dictionary definitions allows us to use lexicographic representation of concepts as one of the active and initial methods for understanding and perceiving national mentality.

We consider static and dynamic in onomastics. We establish that, despite the fact that the synchronic and diachronic approaches to language are quite independent techniques, it must be admitted that “static”, although it may seem paradoxical, is not a synchronic, but a diachronic fact, which can be discovered when considering the language in time perspective. We justify that ergonyms serve people of adjacent generations and, on the one hand, ergonyms are supposedly stable and static, but, on the other hand, they are subject to dynamic processes. This inconsistency is the basis for the existence of egronyms and the source from development. On the material of oikodomonyms with the onymic part “anthroponyms”, reflecting the territorial variants depending on the linguistic and linguo-cultural preferences of the Tambov inhabitants, and the word “home”, the static and dynamic nature of the ergonomic category is considered. We prove that the identification of what is static and what is dynamic is possible only after the establishment of certain historical stages (boundaries) in the language. This will allow a native speaker to perceive the language as an objectively existing means of communication, and a linguist – to establish the systemic nature of the language and evaluate it retrospectively and prospectively.

The work analyzes the semantic structure of stable comparisons with the “tree” component and its derivatives. We consider stable comparisons as special phraseological units - reproducible linguistic units with figurative comparative meaning. We show that different structural models of such phraseological units form some semantic unity – “comparative nest”. We draw a large number of contexts that illustrate typical situations of using stable comparisons with the “tree” component, we conclude that the formal variation of their figurative basis determines the variety of semantic nuances that are significant at the pragmatic level. The use of the analysis method of dictionary definitions and contextual analysis makes it possible, firstly, to significantly supplement and clarify the scientific results obtained by specialists in the field of cultural linguistics and cognitive linguistics, and secondly, to outline ways of systematizing Russian comparative phraseology, which occupies an important place in the expressive fund of Russian language. When considering the figurative and symbolic meanings grouped around the lexeme “tree”, it is important to distinguish between two interrelated meanings: “perennial plant” and “woody material, wood”. The system of meanings of stable comparisons of the Russian language with the “tree” component is based on the semantic features “hard”, “rigid”, “inelastic” that characterize the second meaning. In other words, the lexeme “tree” in Russian language is a representative not only of the plant, but also of the material code of culture.

The review of literature on the problem of “Dialogue of cultures in A. Gide’s works” establish extensive contact and typological convergence, a rollcall of images and ideas, reveal new interpretation of the story. All this became the basis of intertextual analysis, which allows us to understand more deeply the intention of the artists of the word, especially F.M. Dostoevsky, with whom A. Gide enters into a virtual dialogue. The work purpose is to address the ethical and philosophical ideas of F. Nietzsche and F.M. Dostoevsky in the context of A. Gide’s works, which turns out to be the most important moment and the basis for understanding the essence of the work of prominent French writer. The system of analysis includes a peculiar dialogue between  F. Nietzsche, A. Gide and F.M. Dostoevsky – artists belonging to different nationalities and cultures, who did not coincide in time, did not know each other personally, which turned out to be evidence of their inextricable cultural connection. We determine the study degree and A. Gide’s artistic world originality on the basis of the rich factual material contained in the studies of the creative heritage of the French writer, which allows us to trace the evolution of A. Gide’s work from the beginning of the 20th to the beginning of the 21st century, to determine the literary significance of the problems posed in his work. The methodology of the work includes an overview of what has already been done in French and Russian literary studies on this issue in the context of the embodiment of national ideas in their work, which is the novelty and relevance of this study. Conclusions: for A. Gide, an appeal to F.M. Dostoevsky was immersed in his literary texts in order to understand the Russian mentality in comparison with the Western European system of values. The French writer emphasized that in the Russian environment, depicted by F.M. Dostoevsky, love prevails, which is “inclusive”, so the writer called it “world responsiveness”. People go to such love through compassion, sacrifice, meekness and deep faith in the Savior and the Mother of God. Realizing their messianic role in the world, the Russian people, represented by  F.M. Dostoevsky, according to A. Gide, in the future will renew the Catholic Church, which distorted Christianity and brought strife in the world community. The dialogical perspective requires a deeper study, because French, German and Russian writers-thinkers turn their gaze not only to the interpretative part, not only to the interpretation, interpretation of the works of F.M. Dostoevsky, but also scattered in the works of A. Gide rolls with his thoughts, disputes with his heroes, allusions to his plots, to playing out individual episodes, which did not find a detailed study and justification in this interesting virtual dialogue. 

The work examines the plots and images of the Old Testament in the dramatic poem by S.A. Yesenin “Pugachev”. The relevance of the study is determined by the need for both a comprehensive consideration of possible interpretations of the poem and drawing attention to its creative impact on the literature of the Russian emigration. The aim of the study is to identify in the poem by S.A. Yesenin “Pugachev” of the Old Testament reminiscences and determination of their influence on the religious and philosophical content of the play by I.M. Levin “Moses”. The theoretical basis of the study is the thesis about the intertextuality of the poem “Pugachev”, put forward by N.I. Shubnikova-Guseva. In the course of the study, a comparative analysis of the artistic structures of the poem by S.A. Yesenin “Pugachev” and plays by I.M. Levin “Moses”. Based on the identification of common elements of the compositional organization and poetic language of these works, it is concluded that the play by I.M. Levin is a kind of reception of the biblical reminiscences of “Pugachev” associated with the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. When comparing the text of “Pugachev” with the book of Exodus, the Old Testament subtext is revealed, which became the main unifying factor of the figurative system of the poem. Together with the New Testament motifs of the poem already indicated in Yesenin studies, the Old Testament reminiscences testify to its deep religious and philosophical content. 

Chinese allusions of New Year and the Lantern Festival used by M.A. Bulgakov in the 6th chapter of the novella “The Fatal Eggs” are studied. White and black ritual magic, mythological images of Chinese agricultural calendar are considered from the perspective of Chinese festive culture and its carnivalization: Peach tree, “Fire judge”, “White inconstancy” and “Black inconstancy”, “Purple girl”. The mythopoetic analysis of the novella involves a “fantastic and satirical” novel by a medieval Chinese writer Wu Cheng’en “Journey to the West” (1590). It is shown how M.A. Bulgakov inscribes this unusual, exotic, religious work that captures the basics of Chinese culture in his text. In addition to the mythological content, the allusions analysis sphere on the Chinese text involves the image of a medieval Chinese official, Chinese etiquette, a celebratory feast, street and areal decorations of the spectacle and jollification. The miracle-play character of the novella is researched. Not only the rituals of summoning the gods, demons, and spirits of the dead are described, but also the traditional for all the miracle-plays initiation of the “neophyte”, one of the main stages of which is the catabasis (descent into hell), called by C.G. Jung as the archetype of “the knight's departure into the dark”. The main character’s path to the Chinese tartarus of the novella by Professor V.I. Persikov turns out to be such a catabasis, shown in a parody key. Close attention is paid to such a modernist method of depicting Russian reality as the method of collision/interference of times. Chinese carnival “madness” is becoming a real Russian madness associated with the reforms of the national economy. Therefore, a special place in the study is given to the satirical means analysis of influencing the viewer: elements of eccentricity, comedy play, parody and grotesque. In this field of Bulgakov’s caustic satire lies, we think, the image of the “the world’s first socialist state” founder V.I. Lenin and the internal policy of the leaders who replaced him, announced the beginning of the Russian peasantry destruction era and the beginning of the collectivization and agriculture mechanization era. The phantasmagoria genre, manifested in the mass hysteria of Muscovites and blazing fires from burning mountains of dead chickens, also strengthens the satirical character of the story.

The work is devoted to the study of the image features of the people’s behavior in the conditions of camp imprisonment in the A.I. Solzhenitsyn’s novel “In the first Circle”. We study the forms of artistic embodiment of the theme of inner and outer freedom of the individual. We compare the principles of depicting the daily life of prisoners in the story “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” and the novel “In the First Circle”. We pay attention to the meaning of the titles of these works by A.I. Solzhenitsyn. We consider the writer’s portrayal of events and actions of people in the absence/limitation of physical freedom. We emphasized the role of creative endeavors in the self-preservation of human dignity. We outline the main parameters of the depiction of love storylines and family stories in the novel. We are clarifying the meaning of the author’s font emphasis in the text. We focus on the enduring relevance of the topic of preserving the mental strength of a person during periods of forced bondage and limited living conditions, which is one of the priorities in the work of A.I. Solzhenitsyn. The results of this study contribute to the expansion of ideas about the ideological and artistic specifics of the writer’s “camp prose” and can be applied when studying the history of Russian literature in universities, at special seminars and special courses on the work of the classic of the 20th century. 

We highlight the problem of dream in the poetics of G. Gazdanov’s prose. We consider dream from the perspective of creativity pragmatics, self-knowledge and its role in the architectonics of the text. We trace the dynamics of the development of the artistic dream representation as an intertextual phenomenon. In the light of literary associations with the works of A.S. Pushkin,  F.M. Dostoevsky and E. Poe, dream in G. Gazdanov’s works is defined as the development of the mythologeme Narcissus in the interpretation of A. Gide in the homonymous essay. We analyze the convergence of the dream theme and delusiveness of the real world and the oniric divinology’s influence on the narrative as a whole. The anarrative elements of metanarrative that undermine the evidence of events are described as a system of opposing the current situation to eternity. The author’s position in the novels related to the Civil War and emigration is considered in terms of M.M. Bakhtin’s work “Toward a Philosophy of the Act”. The author’s “outsideness” to the everyday world, delimiting the inverted world of violence from culture, is manifested as “different” to the narrated world. The dream appears as the universals not only in terms of the poetics of possible fictional worlds, but also as a totality in the characters’ development. The acquisition of reality is only possible in the last writer’s works, in altruism as the “awakening” of the characters and in the intention to the state of samadhi. Nirvana as a mode of the author’s “outsideness” “descends” into the characters’ world as a result of “movement of feelings” or “spiritual fire” – the prevailing feature of G. Gazdanov’s works. Thus, the delusiveness dream as a generalizing formant of metanarrative weakens as one moves away from the “horrors of history” as a traumatic experience of participation in a war and the ensuing unsettled-“unnoticed” image of the author. The polyphonism of the voices of the author and the characters in recent novels forms a single narrative field, and here and now it acquires the status of reality as enlightenment, or, in G. Gazdanov’s thesaurus, “rebirth”. 

We consider the implementation of the literary cinematic principles in Boris Akunin’s cycle “Bruderschaft with Death”, which we analyze using intertextual, contextual methods, as well as the method of holistic analysis of a literary work. We substantiate that “novel-cinema” as a new form, which is the result of intermedial interaction (one of the key processes of the modern cultural space) contributes to the assertion in the texts of novellas to develop “visible”, dynamic action emphasized in the visual space, constructed through the characters system and utilitarian editing. We establish that in B. Akunin’s text there is a corpus of visual material (posters, illustrations, photographs) that asserts a specific visual image of the events described. However, the existence of such a visual corpus contributes to the generation of additional semantics, which changes the emphasis in the “visual – verbal” relationship. As a result, we conclude that in the novellas of cycle not only the main provisions of “literary cinematic” are realized, but the text itself appears as secondary in relation to the primary visual matter, to the conditional pre-, post- or postrevolutionary “film”, the existence of which is indicated by the presented corpus of illustrations and photographs. Research materials and general conclusions can be used to analyze not only other works of B. Akunin, but also modern domestic and world literature in the context of intertextual and intermediate interaction. 

The work is devoted to the formation of sociocultural and linguocultural competences of foreigners studying Russian as a foreign language (RFL) through work with modern feature films.

We describe the linguodidactic potential of authentic video materials designed to work in the classroom in Russian as a foreign language; selection criteria are presented. We point out that motion pictures are a valuable source of both linguistic and extralinguistic information. We conclude that it is advisable to use authentic full-length feature films in RFL lessons; the recommended level of language proficiency is B1. We offer a methodological development for the Russian film “Moscow Romance” (2019). We substantiate the criteria for choosing this film, we have developed a system of tasks, some of which can be completed during extracurricular hours. We prescribe such stages of work with the film as: “Pre-demonstration. Preparation for viewing”, “Demonstration. Understanding Test” and “Post-Demonstration. Discussion”, as well as offer the fourth stage “Continuing work outside the classroom”. This system of work has been tested by the authors of the work in three groups of different nationalities studying at Russian universities. 

It is well known, that by using language any text reflects the achievements of culture as a product of people’s social activity, that is, the sign system of the language makes it possible to convey the content of culture. Thus, we establish that when comparing different languages in the working process with the corresponding texts, the recipients of textual information acquire the specificity of certain cultures and the singularity of those languages through the prism of which the nature and content of these cultures is transmitted. We note that a full-fledged intercultural dialogue largely depends on students’ assimilation of the cultural code inherent in the linguistic society of the target-language country. We provide definitions of the constantly supplemented and still open concept of “culture”, formulated by foreign and domestic cultural experts. We state the position that a broader understanding of culture cannot be interpreted without close connection with the particular people’s life, without taking into account the differences between representatives of different peoples. We give concrete examples of how the reality reflected in texts through images not only allows us to better understand and comprehend it, but also affects various characteristics of the person receiving this information. We confirm the position that the study of foreign languages has an impact on the development of the personality mental world, enriches it with knowledge of a foreign language culture, and is of lasting value. We conclude that the text as a product of oral and written speech characterizes the individual culture of the personality, which is developed, in particular, in the learning process.

Development of foreign language intercultural interaction skills is one of the main goals of foreign language teaching to students of the “Pedagogical Education” (profile “English Language”) programme. At the same time, the content of teaching foreign language intercultural interaction is the subject of discussion in the scientific literature. In this study we present the history of the problem of formulating the goals of foreign language teaching, consider several models of foreign language communicative competence and intercultural competence. As a result, a list of intercultural skills is generalized, the development of which will be able to prepare students for intercultural interaction in various situations characterized by both “dialogue of cultures” and “nondialogue of cultures”. These skills include: a) acting as an initiator of intercultural interaction; b) support for intercultural dialogue in the spirit of peace to achieve communication goals; c) the development of critical thinking skills in relation to the interpretation of facts, information, realities from the standpoint of ethnorelativism; d) acting as a intermediary or mediator between representatives of different cultures, with the leveling of intercultural contradictions, respect for representatives of contacting cultures; e) a way out of the situation of intercultural conflict; f) suppression of intercultural conflicts; g) finding agreement in intercultural conflicts.

The tradition of book-making is closely connected with the formation and development of private library collections in Russia in the 18th century, which began its development with representatives of the noble class as the main book-holders who had the opportunity to purchase fairly expensive publications. Subsequently, the transfer of books began to spread among the middle strata, who viewed book-making primarily as a kind of mark for summing up a certain stage in their life – training, service, etc. Often on such gifts, short inscriptions (inscripts) were applied, containing personal information of a different nature. This work is dedicated to the inscriptions on the civil press books of the 18th century from the collections of Tambov second-hand booksellers. We prove that a careful reading of the dedicatory inscriptions allows us to trace the motives of donation, the nature of the relationship between second-hand booksellers and the history of their collections. Thanks to the conducted work, we create new and supplement the existing meetings of book owners. We show the connections of individuals with institutions revealed through donation inscriptions. We trace the individual trajectories of individual editions, which can be identified through the presence of the records of several donors who consecutively donated books. Consideration of the scripts allows us to present the book as a translator of the personality of its owner and a reflection of historical events.

We consider the issue of the theatricalization concept and its role for a general cultural space understanding of an ethnic group, in terms of basic cultural concepts. We point out the main tasks that the theatricalization method should perform. The interrelation is traced from a simple movement in the mimes’ face to a theatrical performance complex in composition, often associated with a huge number of effects. We focus on the fact that theatricalization helps to form an associative perception of ethnocultural reality. We prove that due to this phenomenon, immersion in ethnocultural reality acquires a meaningful character and contributes to development of peculiar idea of people’s cultural code. We provide examples, accompanied by illustrative material, confirming the fact that not only small theatrical forms, but also integral theatrical performances contribute to the creation of a holistic picture of the cultural code of an ethnic group, and direct tactile perception once again helps in this process. In addition, it is substantiated that this method also contributes to the implementation of intercultural communication. We conclude that theatricalization combines both art and other types of activity that contribute to a faster, easier, and most importantly, a intimate understanding of the cultural space of a particular ethnic group.

We analyze the graphic commentaries of Alexander Alexeieff, the illustrator and the first wave emigrant, made for The Russian Fairy tales published in the USA in 1946. We believe A. Alexeieff to have been the second to illustrate The Russian Fairy tales in the USA as Ivan Bilibin, the eminent Russian painter and book illustrator had preceded him. A. Alekseev brought his vision of artistic images to the illustration of The Russian Fairy tales, combining ancient Slavonic motives with Christian symbolism. We assume the publication also to be unique as Roman Jakobson, the well-known philologist an ancient Slavonic and Russian folklore explorer wrote the foreword to the book being cited in Russian for the first time. Having briefly considered R. Jakobson’s life and creative work, we presume it to be quite logical Jacobson to have been baptized according to the Russian Orthodox tradition, as well as to have backed up the theory of Eurasianism. From this point of view, the analyzed edition of The Russian Fairy tales is holistic in content, harmoniously combining the traditional values of the cultural heritage of the Russian world and the work of outstanding figures that developed and propagated its values and enduring significance through their works. 

We prove that the positive perception of Russia’s image in China is strengthened in the context of the creation of global transport and investment infrastructure “One Belt and One Road”, which expands the China-Russian relations, strengthens a propitious atmosphere for the economic development of two countries. We propose an attempt to study the reasons for the spread and strengthening in modern China of a positive image of “Russia” with a rich educational image, natural resources and cultural traditions, which for many years was perceived by the Chinese as a country of balalaikas, bears and vodka. We substantiate that the Russia’s image in China is built on the basis of acquaintance with the traditions of national culture and everyday culture. We note that a special role in understanding the image of the country is played by the cultural and linguistic stereotype, which is formed on the basis of the proper name, which contains an evaluative and associative component. We emphasize that the phenomenon of the anthroponym allows us to identify its pragmatic feature, which helps to clarify the subjective perception of a certain person by a native Chinese speaker, and the cultural properties of the proper name.