Center and periphery of functional-semantic field of gradation in the modern Russian language

The concept of gradation is viewed as a type of syntactic relations. Various types of syntactic joints are used to express gradation: gradational conjunctions, particles, parenthetical-modal components, phraseologized structures, predicative units. The non-homogeneous composition of means of expression of gradational relations permits to view gradation in the light of theory of functional-semantic fields. The functional-semantic field (FSF) of gradation is formed by syntactic joints with gradational semantic. The core of the field is formed by the semes of ‘affirmativity’ and ‘material gradation’; the criterion of belonging to the field’s core is the usage of the means of gradation among homogeneous parts of a sentence and its functioning in texts of various styles. In the center of gradation FSF, such conjunctions as не только... но и, не столько … сколько, не просто … а are found. At the periphery one may find means of expressions the meanings of which are broader or wider than the prototypical ones or possessing usage limits in various types of constructions or beloning to specific styles. For example, the following conjunctions belong to the periphery of the field: не то чтобы … а, because it denotes gradation as well as the choice of the most appropriate nomination; скорее … чем, because in specific contexts it may be used to denote hesitation at the choice of specific expression; а то и, because it specializes in connection between homogeneous conditions; и даже, because it denotes the meaning of affiliation; если не сказать, because it isn’t used to connect predicative parts, but rather, it connects evaluative words performing the attributive function, etc.