The Specific Features of Verbal Representation of the Concept of “Insularity” in British English

Abstract

The humanities demonstrate increasing interest in research into the specific features of various cultures and mentalities and the connections between concepts and cultures. The article deals with the concept of “insularity” as an essential part of British culture. British mentality inevitably finds its linguistic manifestation in British English. The material for the analysis was the article “Brexit may spell the end of the tabloid version of Englishness. Can Labour redefine it?” by A. Beckett, which was published in the newspaper “The Guardian”. The author underlines the peculiarities of words which are part of verbal representation of the concept of “insularity” (positive or negative connotations). These lexical units are also noted to be labelled “disapproving” in authoritative monolingual dictionaries. The analysis of words which are part of linguistic representation of the concept of “insularity” helps us to draw a conclusion about the role the concept of “insularity” plays in British culture. It is highlighted that further research in the field would promote better understanding of British mentality and the peculiarities of British English.