Axiological (culture - formative) potential of the artistic concept in the territorial (Australian) version of the English language (using the example of the study of H. Lawson' own authorial concept of "mate/mateship")

The process of developing value orientations is topical in the context of global interpenetration of cultures as a result of the processes of migration in multicultural society. The purpose of this article is to study the axiological potential of the “Mate/Mateship” artistic concept in the Australian version of the English language and its capacity to influence the creation of society value orientations as well as the mechanism of transmission of cultural values in multicultural society. The problem of language variation and the notion of a national version of a language are presented in the works of A.D. Shveitser, L.B. Nikolsky, L.P. Krysin, Yu. D. Desheriev, E.B. Grishaeva, M.I. Isaev, N.B. Vakhtin and others. The history of the Australian version of the English language development is described in the works of G. Leinter. Conceptual foundations of the present study can be found in the works of V.I. Karasik, N.A. Krasavsky, Z.D. Popova, I.A. Sternin, M.V. Pimenova, A. Wierzbicka. The present study is based on sociolinguistic, cognitive-discourse, linguo-cultural methods and the method of coordinative management of cultural meanings. The three-dimensional model of lingua- cultural concept by V.I. Karasik is also used in the study. The research of the socio-cultural background and the features of the lexis-semantic system of Australian variant of the English language allowed making the conclusion about the considerable influence of socio-economic conditions on the development of the lexico-semantic system of Australian English. The Australian version can be characterized as inclined to derivativeness and informality. The basic cultural guidance points of Australian society are co-existence, cooperation and justice. H. Lawson's individual, authorial concept-image of “Mate” is viewed as a key system-forming element of the process of “Mate/Mateship” linguo-cultural concept-symbol development. The notional component is the result of divergent development of the borrowed British “Mate” lexeme. The notional and image components are based on the “Bush” category. The value component represents the ideal of mate which shaped ethnic-self-consciousness and self-identification of Australians. The major behavioural values of a mate, created by H. Lawson are: endurance, persistence and communicativeness, quick wit, loyalty, mutual help and readiness to share. The dynamics of the “Mate” concept are reflected in the development of its semantic content which led to creation of a derivative concept of “Mateship”. The author's concept-image develops in the direction of symbolizing its semantic features and is connected with their metaphoric and metonymic development as means of adapting to the changing social conditions by means of enriching the structure of the concept by new semantic components. The conclusion is made that Australia is a good example of efficient creation of the nation shaping values, aimed at transmitting, maintaining and enhancing national identity. The Australian national version of the English language became the means of consolidation and self-identification of the Australian nation, the reflection of the national identity of the Australians. The formation of a conceptual structure in this version of the language is based on divergent development of the semantic core of the borrowed lexeme as a result of new socio-economic conditions influence. The author's contribution is in describing the ways of manifestation, representation and transmission of the key values of Australian culture in historical perspective by means of studying the axiological potential of the artistic concepts of “Mate/Mateship”