Ways to quantify of abstract nouns in the modern Erzya language

The article analyzes abstract nouns based on the material of the modern Erzya language, which in various contexts can be concretized, becoming the basis for the formation of their plural. These lexemes begin to express a real quantitative meaning, in other words, they acquire the ability to quantify. The purpose of the article is to identify and describe the contexts in which abstract plural nouns denote quantifiable relations. Materials and Methods. The main method is structural-semantic description, used for direct observation of contexts when abstract nouns express quantitative relations. The material of the study is based on 1 500 examples extracted from the texts of Mordovian writers written their works in the Erzya language. Results and Discussion. It has been determined that in the modern Erzya language the plural forms of abstract nouns are capable of expressing quantitative relations in those cases when they denote a real quantitative meaning. It defines two quantification ways, namely: discrete way, which conveys the semantics of the internal quantity, is based on the peripheral components of the abstract noun, and unitary way, which expresses the semantics of the external quantity, based on the central components of the abstract lexeme. The main contexts are briefly characterized, when abstract nouns denote quantifiable relations. Conclusion. In the modern Erzya language abstract nouns that have the ability to quantify, carried out discretely or unitarily are often encountered. The contexts with such nouns are often found in the texts of Mordovian writers, who use them as a source of speech expression, a means of creating artistic expression, shaping, interpreting and evaluating images and events.