THE WORD AS A CHRONICLE OF THE SPIRIT: THE PHILOSOPHY AND CULTURE OF LANGUAGE IN THE LEGACY OF M.A. SHOLOKHOV AS A REFLECTION OF RUSSIAN CIVILIZATION

Abstract

This article is devoted to a philosophical and culturological analysis of language as the bearer of the civilizational code in the literary legacy of M.A. Sholokhov. Language is considered as the principal form of expression of the historical memory, the mentality and the spiritual values of Russian civilization. On the basis of an analysis of speech structures, vocabulary, stylistics and speech intonation in Sholokhov's prose, the conclusion is drawn that language is a key instrument for forming and preserving collective identity. It is shown that the people speak through Sholokhov's word, and that language becomes a mirror of the historical transformations of the twentieth century.