ЛысенкоВ.В., Омельяненко Т.Н.

Languages are systems in which everything is interrelated. This structural concept is the major insight of linguistics since the modern discipline was founded in the nineteenth century we must expect that any given linguistic event is the result of complex interaction between levels of language, and between language itself and the sociohistorical setting in which it is situated and the result of interaction between different languages.[Бруннер 2010: 15]

It is a well-known fact that vocabulary of any language is the most variable and the most developing part of it. Vocabulary is changing while the history of a country and a nation is changing. The development of economics, politics, industries, culture and education results in language development.[Аракин: 2010: 238]

Modern English is undoubtedly richer and more various than Old English or Middle English. One of the ways of such enrichment is borrowing words from other languages. It is difficult to believe nowadays, when we hear “ supermarket ”, “ device ”, “ cottage ” in Russia every day, that it was English that began to borrow some Russian words many years ago.

How did it happen? As a matter of fact words are able to travel from one language to another for a long time. It means that leaving their native language words come to another one where they can be changed according to this new language grammar rules and pronunciation.

Being changed the words can be borrowed again by another language. So, this process can last for a long time. That is why the origin of a word is difficult to track.

Russian influence on the English lexical system is divided into four periods:

The first period covers the influence of Old Russian language of Kiev Russia on Old English and partially Middle English.

In the 11th century the Russian city of Novgorod was well-known to English people first of all as the supplier of furs and jewelry. The marriage of Vladimir Monomakhto the daughter of the English king Gerald had taken place by that time.

Thus, for example English words talk («разговор, беседа» ) and to talk («говорить, разговаривать, болтать») goes back to the Scandinavian root tolk from Russian «толк» (that is: «толковать, толковый»).[Матвеева2006: 38]

Another Russian word that has been living in English for a long time is sable. The first meaning of it was «a fur-bearing animal». Sable was adopted by a lot of languages before the 4th century, because of very popular fur of this animal. Later the word got additional meanings such as «a black colour» and «mourning clothes»

The second period is a period of stable relations between Russia and Britain that were settled only in the 14th century. That time was characterized by lasting commercial and diplomatic relations and by real interest of London merchants in maintenance of business connections with the Russian nation.

On the other hand, the ignorance of foreign languages, including English in Moscovia was at that time an extremely important motivation towards the studying Russian language by foreigners.

The most of Russian borrowings of that period penetrated into English through writing – over the different reports, diaries and descriptions of Englishmen who visited Russia. Mainly the borrowings were nominations of marketing articles, household goods, officials’ names, geographical names, objects of clothing and others.

The third period of borrowing from Russian is characterized by the developing of industry and appearing the working class at the same time. The struggle of leading people against tsarist government, the growth of people's democratic liberation movement and further strengthening revolutionary movement in the 19^thand the beginning of the 20th centuries reflected in borrowing of such Russian words as: nihilist, nihilism, nihilistic, intelligentsia, Decembrist. [Павленко 2008:155]

Undoubtedly, the roots of such words as “Decembrist” or “intelligentsia” are Latin and there already existed words of the same root, but, nevertheless, it is absolutely correct to treat them as Russian because their new meanings were acquired in accordance with the Russian reality of that time. In the very beginning of the 20th century the words “duma”, “pogrom” were borrowed by the English language.

The fourth period is the one of the new Socialist Russia. Russian political terms became well-known in the whole world, they were internationally used and entered foreign dictionaries. Words which were borrowed from the Russian language in this period are called sovetisms which served to denote the ideas, concepts and institutions that resulted from the revolution and appearance of the Soviet Union.

This period is characterized by such words as: sovkhoz, kolkhoz, Komsomol, Leninism, bolshevism, commissar, collectivization, industrialisation, subbotnik and many others.

Also, during the Soviet period the English language was penetrated by such new phraseologisms as: hero of labour («герой труда»), socialist construction («социалистическое строительство»), indestructible moral-political unity («нерушимое морально-политическое единство»), vital interests of the people («жизненные интересы народа»), reclamation of virgin and unused lands («освоение целинных и залежных земель»).

The first Russian word which was borrowed in the modern period was the word glasnost used in English since 1986. In 1987 the word perestroika penetrated into English word-stock. It is often used in the meaning of restructuring or economic reform.

The pages of English newspapers became full of such words as: novoe muishleniye, democratizatsia.

In 1987 the word perestroika penetrated into English word-stock. It is often used in the meaning of restructuring or economic reform. The pages of English newspapers became full of such words as: novoe muishleniye, democratizatsia. [Иванова 2010: 15]

Unfortunately, languages are too often used in political games, but we, students understand the value of language, first of all, as a unique phenomenon which must be respected, learned and appreciated.

Список литературы:

1) В.Д. Аракин История английского языка; Издательство: ФИЗМАТЛИТ; 2011 г.

2) К. Бруннер История английского языка; Издательство: ЛКИ; 2010 г.

3) И. П. Иванова, Л. П. Чахоян, Т. М. Беляева История английского языка; Издательство: Авалонъ, Азбука; 2010 г.

4) Е.А.Матвеева История английского языка; Издательство: НВИ - Тезаурус 2006 г.

5) Л.Г.Павленко История английского языка; Издательство: Владос; 2008 г.

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