Language and Text
2026. Vol. 13, no. 2, 99–109
doi:10.17759/langt.2026130207
ISSN: 2312-2757 (online)
Linguocultural analysis of semantic loanwords of the main concepts of the French revolution in the Russian language
Abstract
Context and relevance. The article is devoted to a comparative analysis of the semantic meanings of the words "freedom", "equality", and "brotherhood" in the French and Russian languages. In a complex socio-political situation, the semantic context of well-known concepts and their meaning-making in different cultures are becoming more relevant. Objective. To identify the similarities and differences in the interpretation of these concepts in the Russian and French languages of two cultures that have closely interacted with each other since the early 18th century. Hypothesis. The ideas of the words "freedom", "equality", and "brotherhood", which came to the Russian language as a result of the French Revolution, already existed in the Russian language, but had a slightly different semantic content. Methods and materials. The comparative method was used as the leading method, which contributed to the identification of differences in French and Russian cultures, which helped determine the semantic non-identity of meanings in different traditions. The axiological method was necessary to identify the traditional value systems of various cultures. We used the dialectic method to analyze various forms of interaction between cultural phenomena. Results. It has been established and substantiated that the words «liberty», «equality», and «fraternity», which entered the Russian language as a result of the French Revolution, already existed in Russian, but had somewhat different semantic meanings. The social meaning of the French word «liberty» in the late 18th and early 19th centuries was primarily conveyed by the word «freedom», which in the Russian tradition was associated with the desire to transcend legal boundaries, with personal freedom, the realization of desires, and with strength. In the Middle Ages, equality was interpreted in its Christian context, as equality before God. Later, the French came to understand equality as the realization of civil rights. In Russia, the semantics of equality are tinged with value and ethical overtones. Brotherhood also moved from a religious context to a socio-political one. The understanding of brotherhood as a religious association was complemented by an understanding of brotherhood as an ideology. In modern culture, the idea of brotherhood is embodied in the activities of social organizations, whose representatives provide selfless moral and material assistance to those in need. Conclusions. The ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity have deep traditions in Russian culture, and their semantics correspond to the specific development of Russian civilization. However, the new meanings brought by the French Enlightenment and associated with the idea of civil society have become deeply ingrained in Russian public consciousness and ingrained in the language. Many of their archaic meanings have retained their significance in contemporary Russian culture, reflected in linguistic symbolism.
General Information
Keywords: semantics, cultural linguistics, liberty, freedom, equality, fraternity
Journal rubric: General and Comparative Historical Linguistics
Article type: scientific article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/langt.2026130207
Received 18.04.2026
Revised 28.05.2026
Accepted
Published
For citation: Simonova, S.A. (2026). Linguocultural analysis of semantic loanwords of the main concepts of the French revolution in the Russian language. Language and Text, 13(2), 99–109. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/langt.2026130207
© Simonova S.A., 2026
License: CC BY-NC 4.0
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Information About the Authors
Conflict of interest
The author declares no conflict of interest.
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