There are two homonymous word forms (omo-forms)in the Russian language: 1) nothing-the gender of the negative pronoun nothing (There is nothing left in the house. "What should I do?" "Nothing." "What did you eat today?" - "Nothing") and 2) nothing (nitsche, nothing, nishto-prost, etc.)- a pronominal adverb used more often as an impersonal predicate (words of the category of state).

The article will focus mainly on the predicative adverb nothing, which has long attracted the attention of both Russians and foreigners (See, for example: M. P. Alekseev. Russkoe slovo nothing i ego zarubezhnye interpretatsii [The Russian word nothing and its foreign interpretations]. The ambiguity and idiomaticity of this word, the variety of its semantic shades make it one of the symbols of the mysterious Russian soul. "There is a turn of speech in our language," wrote P. A. Vyazemsky, " completely nihilistic, although it was found before the invention of nihilism and is still used by non-nihilists. "What's the weather like today?" - "Nothing", - " How do you like this book?" "Nothing." "Is the woman you're talking about beautiful?" - "Nothing",- " Are you satisfied with your governor?" "Nothing." Etc. There is a certain Russian sly reserve in this phrase, a fear of letting it slip, some completely Russian thing on your mind" (Poly. collected Works of St. Petersburg, 1883. Vol. VIII. p. 429).

This adverb is already recorded in the Dictionary of the Russian language of the XI-XVII centuries: nothing (Nichevo), in comp. a fairy tale. Nothing, portable, can be tolerated. "And then it would still be nichevo, and then such great losses... from that they have done, and it is a shame for good" (Chimes, 1645). V. I. Dahl, M. I. Mikhelson and other lexicographers of the XIX century drew attention to the frequency of Russian use of this adverb.

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The French writer A. Sylvester (1838-1901), who devoted several pages of his book to the word nothing, calls it "the passive - patient motto of the Russian people." Trying to find a lexical match for it in French, he claims that this motto seems to him specially created for the Russian peasant, this "greatest philosopher" of all that "one can imagine, because he is not touched by anything from the minutiae of life" (Silvestre A. La Russie. Impressions - Portraits - Paysages. Paris, 1892. Cit. by decree of the slave M. P. Alekseev). It is said that Bismarck, who was well versed in the Russian language, which he had learned as ambassador of the Kingdom of Prussia to the Court of St. Petersburg between 1859-1863, wore a ring acquired in Russia, on which was carved nitchewo, and that Bismarck's attention to this word had an accusatory and ironic attitude, as to the Russian maybe and maybe and how-something.

The sphere of existence of the word nothing in Russian is extremely wide. We would like to focus on the use of nothing as a sign of Russian speech etiquette. Regular use of the sign in stereotypical speech situations leads to idiomatization of its meaning. Idiomatic meaning in this case is understood as the presence of a semantic feature that is not expressed by word-forming means or phrase-forming components (V. P. Zhukov). Idiomaticity is sometimes called "increment of meaning" (V. L. Arkhangelsky), "opacity" of the value of the sign N, which requires "reinterpretation" (A. N. Baranov, D. O. Dobrovolsky) according to the formula: What do we say when we say N. A. S. Pushkin was perhaps the first to draw attention to the idiomatic nature of Russian etiquette expressions: "We sign up every day as the most submissive servants, and it seems that none of them concluded that we were asking to be valets" (Collected works in 10 vols. Vol. 6. P. 404).

Nothing is regularly used as a label sign in the following situations::

1. As a common response to etiquette questionings at a meeting: How do you live? How are you?" How is your health? How are you? etc. In this situation, the answer Nothing with the appropriate intonation can mean: "good", "safe"," not bad"," passable","so-so".

It is known that in the traditions of Russian communication, in response to such etiquette questions, it is not customary to spread complacently about their successes and successes. It is not customary to complain too much about your life. That's why they usually say: Nothing. If the one-word response is not friendly enough according to the terms of communication, it can be clarified and distributed by a number of synonymous signs: So-so. Little by little. Normal. In any way. Thank God, etc., including, if the speech situation allows, a stereotypical joke like We Live,

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we chew bread. Business goes on, the office writes. Best of all, but no one is jealous, etc.

However, in any case, etiquette prescribes the speaker not to hold attention to himself, but to transfer it to the interlocutor. For example: "[Balagalaev:] How are you? (He sits down.): Thank God, sir, Nikolai Ivanovich, thank God, sir . How are you in your health? [Balagalaev:] I'm all right. Been to the city?" (I. Turgenev. Breakfast with the leader); "He [the prince] used to go to my stable in an archaluchke when he got up in the morning, if he lost somewhere at night, and say:' Well, my almost-half-honored Ivan Severyanitch! How are you doing?" "he kept joking about it, calling me almost-half-venerable, but he did, as you'll see, quite honorably. And I knew what it meant when he made a joke like that, and I would say, " Nothing, they say: My affairs, thank God, are good, but I don't know how Your Excellency is, what are your circumstances?""(N. Leskov. The Enchanted Wanderer); "Loudly, joyfully kissing Potap Maksimych, he [Kolyshkin] shouted to the whole house:' Godfather!.. Are you my dear?.. Great!.. Great!.. What have you done?.. You can't see it, you can't hear it!.. Is everyone in good health?" "'Nothing - we live and chew our bread,' Chapurin answered, smiling. "How does God have mercy on you?".. Is the hostess well?.. Little kids?""(P. Melnikov (Pechersky). In the woods); "" Well, how are you? - asked Kolka Biryukov (...) "How are you?" "Nothing," I said. - Normally" " (A. Rekemchuk. Boys); "Igor crumpled his cap in his hands, his light brown hair, not cut for a long time, not washed, stuck out in all directions. "How are you?" Boris asked. "Nothing, it's fine," Igor bared his sparse teeth in a smile. "Good is good. And nothing is nothing. Overslept again?" "No, why not? They are not allowed to join the expedition" " (A. Rybakov. Children of Arbat); "[TV Host: The question is, so to speak, human: How is your health? [Yu. Nikulin:] Nothing. As we say in the circus: "How is your health?" "Pour it!" It means: nothing yet "(From the TV essay "Everyone loves the Circus", 1991).

2. As a form of discreet praise, approval, or compliment. In oral speech, the degree of approval is expressed by intonation and nonverbal (facial and kinetic) means: "[Director:] (...) Have you watched the first and second acts? Well, how is it? We are all, of course, interested in the impression and the general view... [Pobedonosikov:] Nothing, nothing! We are talking to Ivan Ivanovich. Acutely grasped. Authentic. But still, it's somehow not the same... " (V. Mayakovsky. Bathhouse); "He praised [A. A. Reformatsky] with restraint:" Nothing. Turn out. Brisk pen, brisk! "" (N. Ilyina. Roads and destinies); "They laughed. The professor couldn't help but laugh, too. He shook his head. Nyura leaned over to him and asked: "Well, how's it going?" "Nothing," said the professor. - Your Ivan is a cunning man. He performs well." Nyura was flattered. "He knows when it's necessary... "" (V. Shukshin. Stoves and benches).

To enhance the expression, the expression very much neither is used-

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what: "She started crying and said to my mother:" Mom, I'm so ugly!" "Who told you that, my daughter? You are very good" "(V. Krupin. Sand in the ship's clock). Cf. the use of the dialect nishto (neshto) in a situation of praise, approval: "Idle people part decorously... Sweat wipes Kupchin from his face and says, putting his hands on his hips dramatically: "Okay... neshto... well done!.. well done!..""(N. Nekrasov. Railway).

3. As a response to a verbal sign of attention, an offer, an invitation. In situations like this, it can mean nothing: "don't worry, don't bother yourself because of me, I'm not worth it, or it's not worth such attention": "" Maxim Maksimych, would you like some tea?" I shouted out the window at him. "Thank you, I don't feel like it." "Hey, have a drink! Look, it's too late, it's cold." - "Nothing, thank you..." " (M. Lermontov. Hero of our time); "[Khlestakov:] What? are you hurt somewhere? [Bobchinsky:] Nothing, nothing, sir, without any insanity, just a little slap on the nose " (N. Gogol. Auditor); "[Krutitsky (looks around): Why don't they put up another chair? [Glumov: It's all right, sir, I'll just stand there, Your Excellency." Ostrovsky. Simplicity is enough for any wise man); "" How do you live-can you?" "What is it?" he asked his wife. "Nothing," answered Katerina Lvovna, and, getting up, she began to put on a loose calico blouse. "Put the samovar on, I suppose?" "What is it?" she asked. "Never mind, shout Aksinya, let him put it down" " (N. Leskov. Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk district); ""Come in, svatochek, come in!" pleaded Ilinichna. "Nothing, thank you... we will pass"" (M. Sholokhov. Quiet Don).

4. As a modest response to gratitude in meaning: "don't mention it": "" Brilliant idea! Mitya interrupted enthusiastically, " how can I thank you, Kuzma Kuzmich?" "Nothing, sir," Samsonov said, bowing his head. "But you don't know, you saved me..." Dostoevsky. The Karamazov brothers).

5. As a polite response to a direct or indirect apology in the meaning of: "don't worry, nothing terrible happened, I don't mind": "Chichikov apologized for disturbing me with an unexpected arrival. "Nothing, nothing," said the landlady. "What time did God bring you?" Such confusion and blizzard... " (N. Gogol. Dead souls); Chervyakov coughed, leaned his body forward and whispered in the general's ear: "I'm sorry, Your Honor, I sprayed you... I accidentally... " - "Nothing, nothing... "" (A. Chekhov. Death of an official); "[Ivchikov:]...Where's your wife?" [Kolobashkin:] I don't have a wife. She left me. [Ivchikov: I'm sorry, for God's sake. [Kolobashkin:] Nothing, nothing. This is not always sad" (E. Radzinsky. The seducer Kolobashkin); "'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, '" he said sheepishly, finally managing to laugh. Nikita smiled and took out his cigars and a lighter and put them on the table in front of him. "I didn't mean to offend you," Krasus suddenly said-

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net. "Nothing, nothing, you haven't offended me at all," Nikita waved his hand. "You will forgive me... "" (A. Skorobogatov. Audience with the Prince).

6. As a form of consolation, approval of the interlocutor. It is often used along with other forms of consolation: do not grieve, do not worry, everything will work out, everything will pass, there will be a holiday on our street, etc.:

"This is exactly the kind of trust that the whole Alexandra Andreyevna family had in me: they forgot to think that their daughter was in danger. I also assure them, for my part, that nothing, they say, and the soul itself goes to the heels " (I. Turgenev. County physician); "[Sonya (snuggling up to nanny):] Nanny! Nanny! [Marina:] Nothing, baby. If the geese cackle , they'll stop... They'll cackle and stop ... " (A. Chekhov. Uncle Vanya);

"Never mind, Mikhail Potapych, don't be too clever: God is not without mercy, the Cossack is not without happiness. It will also carry our cloud with a cloud of frost " (I. Mamin-Sibiryak. Loyal slave); Laura's kind eyes filled with tears, her upper lip trembled, and she sobbed and leaned on Angelica's shoulder. And Angelica stroked her back and said: "Never mind, girl, everything happens. Now there is a war, and a lot of nervous people" (Yu. German. Lieutenant Colonel of the medical service).

Nothing or This is nothing is used in situations where the speaker finds himself in an awkward, difficult position, evokes the sympathy of others and therefore feels embarrassed. In this case, it means nothing: "what can you do, it just so happened, don't take what happened or what I said to heart", that is, it is a kind of form of consolation, encouraging yourself and the interlocutor (or interlocutors): "Katushin was now sitting with his back to him, and behind the faded calico of his shirt the old man's shoulder blades were strangely bustling. "What are you talking about, Stepan Leontyevitch, my dear old man?" "Nothing... Nothing, my friend. Thank you for your kindness... "" (L. Leonov. Badgers); " Thin and short. I was always a hero among the boys, and I often came home with a bloody nose. And to meet my terrified mother, I said through my bloody mouth: "Nothing! I tripped over a rock. It will all heal by tomorrow" (S. Yesenin. "Nothing, that's nothing," sobbed Varya, wiping her tears with her handkerchief. "It'll pass. I must be tired... I didn't sleep much... " - " No, no! It's because I haven't had enough to drink, " Gerasimov shouted. - We will now, perhaps, repeat in full, in full... " - " Keep your head up. Varya!""(B. Mozhaev. Men and women).

7. With an interrogative intonation of nothing, used when expressing a request, intent to obtain the consent or approval of the interlocutor in the sense of: "may I? allow me? do you mind?": "An infantry soldier went to the fire, squatted down, put his hands in the fire and turned his face away. "Nothing, Your Honor?" he said, turning inquiringly to Tushin. "I've strayed from the company, your good grace-

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I don't know where. Trouble!" (L. Tolstoy. War and peace).""And this suitcase is in the corner, I'll throw it away, okay?" I asked Katya on the first day. "No problem," she replied. " (M. Ugarov. Parsing things).

8. Nothing is used as a form of expressing consent in response to the request "yes, please": "[Murzavetskaya:] So serve your benefactress a great service, save her from care! After all, my nephew dried me up. [Chugunov: It's all right, sir, it's all right, sir, don't worry about it." Ostrovsky. Wolves and sheep); "[A woman in an electric train to a man in a padded jacket:] Uncle, is it okay, I'll put my bag here? - Bet, bet, nitsche" (1992).

9. Nothing is used as a form of objection, expression of disagreement with the words, actions or intentions of the interlocutor: "And she looks at us and grins in her own way, it's not good. "I don't understand," he says, " why should he come in? And why are you calling?" And he said to her: "Nothing, nothing! Let him come in if he wants to again... Come in, come in, nothing! "" (V. Korolenko. Wonderful); "[Tyatin: My dear brother... [Zvontsov:] I don't have time! [Tyatin: Nothing, you will have time to perform feats of intelligence and honor. [Zvontsov:] What's that tone?" (M. Gorky. Doshaev and others).

The regularity and predictability of the use of the word nothing in these speech situations is supported by a number of derived phraseological units with a more or less high degree of idiomaticity. For example: "How are you?" "Wow. How are you?" "Thank you. Goodbye. Come in", - " I'll come in. Goodbye. Thank you" " (A. Averchenko. Human Day); "Then he [Mayakovsky] asked the traditional:" How do you live, carp?" "Wow, Mercy," I'd say, just as conventionally. It was a couplet from my long-published children's book called "The Radio Giraffe", which Mayakovsky liked, and he used it, so that in our company, and then throughout Moscow, it became like a comic military password " (V. Kataev. Herb of Oblivion); "Things are going well, the head is still (still) intact" (From S. Ya. Marshak's poem "The Wolf and the Fox"). "When addressing his fellow passengers, the new passenger spoke with swaggering familiarity, as if veck knew them. His words came out often, with a whistling sound: - Hello, lads! Well, what does "nothing" mean? Let's go, then?" Beauty!" (I. Akulov. Forever in debt).

The widespread use of the word nothing in the Russian language is also evidenced by numerous derived lexical and grammatical units, especially in dialects and colloquialisms. So, in the dictionary of V. I. Dahl and in the dictionary of Russian folk dialects (SRNG), the nouns nichevoshnik are marked in the meaning "who doesn't care about everything, who sentences nothing to everything", nichegokalka - "about someone who repeats nothing for their own comfort", the adjective nichevy in the meaning "good, brave" (Nichevy malets. Nobody's girl. The host is nichevy, and she is nichevy and talkative); the verb nichegokat "often repeat nothing for your own comfort." In modern youth jargon,

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mostly in male speech, the derived word nichtyak (nishtyak, nishchak) is used: "How is life?" - "Nothing". "How did I get my hair cut?" - "Nothing". Used in a predicative function, nichtyak can be synonymous with the adjective beautiful, good'. "Nichtyak girl", "Boots nichtyak".

In conclusion, we note once again that the scope of use of the word nothing (nothing) is not limited to etiquette situations, its semantic structure is wider than presented in the article. This word can be used in the sense of a particle at all, strengthening the negation, objection: "Natasha moved away to look around in the pier glass. The dress was long. "By God, madame, nothing is too long," said Mavrusha, crawling on the floor behind the young lady." War and peace). It can be used as a modal particle that serves to fill in pauses and help eliminate possible feelings of awkwardness or confusion.: "[Myron (bowing):] To Marfa Sevostyanovna! [Martha:] Miron Lipatych! Yes, come up, nothing... (Miron enters.) By what fates? "(A. Ostrovsky. Female slaves). Finally, nothing (nothing, nishto) can be pronounced with an intonation of threat (Nothing, we'll meet again...) or gloating (Nothing, you'll get killed, not nobles...). A characteristic note reflecting the moral and linguistic consciousness of the commentator is given in the SRNG: "The word nothing (in common parlance, more heard nishto) is almost inexplicable. It is used everywhere and by everyone. It is, so to speak, a sinful word that expresses indifference, or a statement, or even pleasure, if not joy, about the misfortune or evil that has happened to a person who is not loved or sympathized with. Nothing to him or her-just, or with the addition of so necessary." 1854. (Issue 21, p. 248).

Novokuznetsk

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