English Verbs with the Postverb “Out” with the Meaning of Finding
English Verbs with the Postverb “Out” with the Meaning of Finding

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to elaborate and to put into practice schemes of the classification of verbs with the postverb out into lexical-semantic group (LSG) of finding, to ascertain the size of the semantic field of finding, its centre and periphery, as well as their peculiarities. Postverbs, including postverb out, are treated not as independent words _ adverbs, but as detached derivational formants. Combinations of verbs with the postverb out, like verbs with postverbs in general, are considered as derivational units and therefore they have been analysed in the opposition with the base verb. The investigation of verbs with the meaning of finding has been performed using the method of componential analysis, i.e. we have distinguished semes – the minimal units of the meaning. In the meanings of the analysed verbs besides the seme ‘to find sth/sb’ common to all verbs of LSG of finding we could distinguish a lot of other semes. Some semes are common to a group of verbs. However, other semes have been found only in the meaning of one or two verbs. LSG of finding consists of centre and periphery. The centre includes stylistically neutral units with the denotative content used in the primary meaning in typical contexts. The periphery includes unusual words, for instance, words used in the figurative meaning (metaphors, metonymies). In the periphery there are more examples than in the centre. The obtained results have proved that LSG of finding is not an isolated system and there are no strict boundaries in it. This LSG can intersect with other LSGs, such as LSG of appearance, LSG of extraction and LSG of removing. Thus, from the standpoint of structural linguistics lexis of the language is regarded as the sum total of relation among its elements –sememes.

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