SEMANTICS OF THE LEXEME «FAKE»

Abstract

In this article, semantics of the key lexeme «fake» which represents the contrastive concept «fake news» in English is defined on the factual basis of the English dictionaries-thesauruses, electronic lexicographic resources.
The etymology of the lexeme clarified. The results of lexical and semantic analysis of the lexeme «fake» verbalizing the concept «fake news» demonstrate revealing of the semantic features of the lexeme «fake», represented the basic conceptual components of its meaning, identified by common synonymic means and indicated by its combination of nominative units (verbs, nouns, adjectives) help to explicate main characteristics of the concept. The opposite correlation means used as a basis for explanation of the contrastive concept «fake news» as a categorical modal and evaluative characteristics of the concept are identified. The negative connotation and evaluation features of the concept characterize the types of phenomena (objects, situations, relationships, abstract phenomena) and areas of application (domestic, scientific, philosophical, legal, political).