Expressive colloquial lexis in semantic aspect

The article offers a look at two sides of expressiveness as a category of lexical semantic (semasiology and onomasiology) - semantic and pragmatic. Such unity of semantics and pragmatics of expressive language units (ELU) gives reason to define lexical expressiveness as a semantic-functional (or functional-semantic) category. Debatable aspects of expressiveness as a lexicological category are discussed, semantic basis for expressiveness of lexical units is defined, and definitions of terms used to describe ‘expressive' objects are improved. Intensity, emotiveness and emotive evaluation are related to the connotative part of a lexical meaning. Formal and informal features of expressiveness are determined. Imagery is viewed as an independent, whole, inseparable element of a lexical meaning equally connected with connotative and denotative-significative content of an ELU. Criteria of separation of expressive and nominative imagery are offered.