The author's collective of the Centre for the Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature Researches of the NAS of Belarus was awarded the Interstate Award Stars of the Commonwealth for the preparation of the Russian-Belarusian systematic semantic dictionary («Русско-белорусский системный семантический словарь») in 2 volumes (Минск: Беларус. навука, 2023. – Т. 1 – 1103 с.; Т. 2 – 1223 с.).
The dictionary is the first domestic experience in compiling lexicographic works of a comparative plan.
The vocabulary of both Russian and Belarusian languages acts as historically formed organized systems with their inherent characteristics. Despite the fact that these languages are closely related, there are certain semantic differences between them. Russian and Belarusian languages lexico-semantic correlation shown in the Dictionary makes it possible to directly reflect the diverse relationships between their lexicons, and the possibility of a systematic lexico-semantic comparison of Russian and Belarusian elements of correlative lexico-semantic fields provided by this type of dictionary makes it possible to determine both the similar structural and semantic features of two lexico-semantic systems (due to the genetic community of languages, the general trends of their development and the similarity of national linguistic worldviews), and the degree of their structural and semantic differences in specific system areas (which is expressed in the national specifics characteristic of the lexico-semantic level of each of the two lexico-semantic systems).
The topicality of creating a Dictionary is determined by the fact that during its preparation, the study of theoretical and factual material was carried out in accordance with the main trends in the development of modern linguistics, in particular, with the tendency to combine methods of lexicography, research of the lexico-semantic level of language and interlanguage comparison. The topicality of this work is also determined by the importance for modern linguistics of the fundamental theoretical problem of ascertainment of the systematic organization of vocabulary and the associated in-depth analysis of lexical semantics, which is the basis of this study, and the most important issues of comparing closely related languages, the essence of which is to identify their similarities and differences at the lexico-semantic level.
The Dictionary material can contribute to solving problems of improving traditional translation dictionaries and compiling new modern translation dictionaries, as well as contribute to the development of a theoretical and factual base of ideographic, synonymic and other dictionaries. The dictionary will contribute to the finding of more effective ways of lexicographic presentation of systemic language material, it will be a prerequisite for the emergence of comparative dictionaries. The Dictionary material can be used to expand the sphere of use of the Belarusian language in various conceptual spheres, will help meet the needs of language practice in conditions of bilingualism, will be useful in the practice of interlanguage translation and in the field of intercultural communication in general.
As reported, the Council for the award of the Stars of the Commonwealth Interstate Award announced the winners of the main humanitarian prize of the CIS for 2023. In the nomination For Outstanding Contribution and Achievements in the Field of Science and Education, the winners were the author's collective of the Centre for the Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature Researches of the NAS of Belarus: Aksana Vankievich – senior researcher; Iryna Kandracienia – leading researcher and Volga Nikalajeva – leading researcher.
The award ceremony of the laureates will take place in Ufa on September 17–19 as part of the Forum of Creative and Scientific Intelligentsia of the CIS.