On the Role of Derivational Processes in the Formation of Non-Taxonomic Classes of Lexical Units in Russian

The paper is focused on classes of lexical units which arise as a result of derivational processes – word formation and semantic transfers, acting either in isolation or together, on the basis of common semantic foundations that bind targets and sources of derivation. The lexical items which constitute the classes under study vary in their denotative characteristics and due to their categorical semantic components belong to different taxonomic classes and subclasses. Nevertheless, in metaphoric transfers or word formation processes they get semantically drawn to one another since similarity in appearance, form and other perceptual features, locative, temporal, etc. properties and form specific non-taxonomic subsystems which differ from known semantic taxonomies. Some types of non-taxonomic classes of the Russian lexicon are described.