Концепт СПОРТ у мовній свідомості українського студентства

Abstract

The article defines the cognitive structure of the SPORT concept in the consciousness of Ukrainian students. Theoretical and methodological principles of the study are based on the idea of the concept as a complex multicomponent formation, a unit of collective knowledge that has verbal means of expression. The author analyses the conceptual apparatus of the SPORT concept, which is recorded in explanatory, terminological and etymological dictionaries. The research material is based on data obtained during an associative experiment involving 268 applicants for higher education from Ukraine. The obtained reactions are classified according to the following thematic groups: «Competitive activity (types of competitions, sports awards, honors)», «Sports», «Training process and related physical exercises», «Participants (athletes, coaches, etc.)», «Sports buildings (place of competitions, training)», «Gymnastic apparatuses», «Sports equipment, clothing, footwear», «Physical and mental qualities developed by sports», «Physical and mental conditions caused by sports», «Health, healthy lifestyle, healthy appearance». The structure of the SPORT concept has been modeled as an associative field, containing a core, a near-core zone, and near and distant peripheries. Its core is formed by associations: health, medals, competition, running, strength, football. The centre of the core is the lexeme health, which confirms the traditional perception of Ukrainians about the positive impact of sports on health. The gender peculiarities in the perception of the SPORT concept by males and females are taken into account in the paper. It has been found out that men’s associations are usually related to the training process, competitive activities. Women pay more attention to different sports, place of training and physical qualities of the sportsperson.