Russian linguocultural constant “patience” and linguocultural type “terpila”: Correlation of concepts in terms of linguistic safety

Abstract

The comparative analysis of the linguocultural constant “patience” and the Russian linguocultural type “terpila” (“punchbag”) is determined by the pressing issue of preserving national and cultural values, their interpretation and transformation in public consciousness, and the impact of these processes on the Russian linguistic worldview. This study attempts a comprehensive comparison between the archetypal concept of “patience” and the modern stereotype “terpila” to analyze their influence on linguistic safety, as well as to develop measures for preserving cultural identity amid language change. The sociolinguistic, linguocultural and cognitive approaches employed in the research help uncover new aspects of the semantic content of these concepts, which remain highly relevant today. The linguocultural type “terpila,” which arose in criminal jargon and gained a foothold in youth slang and media discourse, actualizes the negative semes of passivity, lack of agency and personal boundaries, acting as a semantic antinomy to the positive archetype. The study employed a survey method based on a psychological criterion for describing linguocultural stereotypes, which allows to identify emotional and evaluative connotations, associative connections, and the degree of acceptance/rejection of the lexeme’s semantics. Respondents aged 17–23 participated in the survey, as this age group is the most relevant for studying contemporary linguistic trends, since young people are the most active participants in discourse transformation and they often serve as agents of linguocultural change. The survey results confirmed the polarization of evaluations, when “patience” is predominantly perceived as a virtue and a trait of national character, while “terpila” is endowed with a consistently negative connotation and a stigmatizing function. The findings of this research can be applied in lexicology courses, as well as in disciplines such as “Intercultural Communication” and “Russian Language and Speech Culture.”