Hybrid Nominations in Linguistic Landscape of Kaliningrad City

Abstract

The article describes the techniques of hybrid nomination used in the titles of the Kaliningrad beauty industry enterprises. The authors determine basic constitutive features of linguistic hybridization phenomenon and propose a general typology of hybrid nominations. The use of elements of different language systems is characterized as a monosemiotic level of hybridization. Another, polysemiotic level includes nominations consisting of elements belonging to heterogeneous sign systems, one of which is not linguistic. The language material excerpted from the lists of Kaliningrad trade establishments is described from the point of view of the levels and techniques of hybridization. As a result of the quantitative analysis, the authors conclude that the absolute majority of hybrid names includes English words and phrases in their original spelling. Less common methods of inventing hybrids are latinization of Russian words and cyrillization of English words, as well as the combination of multi-level elements of Russian and English within one nomination. The widespread tendency of lexemes’ syntactical agglutination is explained by the influence of Internet practices of continuous spelling of separate words. Among the polysemiotic names, the authors distinguish hybrids that combine verbal elements with digital and graphic ones. The nominations of a playful character are based on the use of the creative potential of various sign systems. The conclusion is made about the predominance of hybrid linguistic techniques in the names of Kaliningrad beauty industry enterprises, which is due to the desire of the nominators to distinguish their institutions from the rival environment, to arouse consumer interest and to extract the highest commercial profit.

Keywords:

linguistic hybridization, hybrid nominations, linguistic landscape, emporonyms