Comparative Analysis of the Concepts NARKOTIKI in Russian and DRUGS in American Linguocultures

Abstract

The article examines the comparative representation of the concepts NARKOTIKI and DRUGS in Russian and American linguocultures, respectively. The aim of the study is to identify similarities and differences in their conceptual, axiological, and figurative structures, as well as to determine the specifics of their functioning in institutional and mass media discourse. The relevance of the research is driven by the growing public and media attention to drug-related issues and by the need for a linguocultural interpretation of differences in their conceptualisation within a globalised discursive space. The theoretical framework is grounded in linguocultural conceptology and cognitive semantics, which interpret the concept as a multidimensional construct comprising a semantic core, an evaluative component, and a system of figurative representations. Methodologically, the research adopts an integrated approach. Lexicographic analysis was used to determine codified meanings and semantic features of the units under study; etymological analysis made it possible to trace the historical development of their meanings; corpus analysis revealed statistically significant collocations and recurrent contextual patterns. Data on slang nomination and metaphorical constructions reflecting cultural scenarios of use and evaluation of concepts were also taken into account. The findings demonstrate that in Russian linguoculture the concept is predominantly realised within a negative, criminalised, and socially problematic perspective, whereas in the American worldview it displays a broader semantic scope, incorporating pharmacological and therapeutic discourse alongside the criminal dimension. At the same time, in both cultures the concept remains closely associated with the notions of addiction and risk. The results contribute to a more precise understanding of culturally specific patterns of conceptualisation and may be applied in cross-cultural studies, translation studies, and discourse analysis.

For citation: Kiseleva S.V., Solov’ev V.M. Comparative Analysis of the Concepts NARKOTIKI in Russian and DRUGS in American Linguocultures. Vestnik Severnogo (Arkticheskogo) federal’nogo universiteta. Ser.: Gumanitarnye i sotsial’nye nauki, 2026, vol. 26, no. 5, pp. 96–105. https://doi.org/10.37482/2687-1505-V544