Methods for identifying lexemes of the core of linguistic consciousness based on the material of the Tatar associative dictionary: a functional-semantic aspect

The research aims to identify lexical units that define the linguistic consciousness of native Tatar speakers using different methods of associative reactions analysis. The paper examines methods for identifying lexemes that determine the linguistic consciousness of Tatars based on the materials of the Tatar associative dictionary, created from the results of associations obtained with the use of computer technologies in 2024-2025. The semantic characteristics of stimulus lexemes and reactions in the associative field are considered. The research is novel in that it is the first one to explore the linguistic consciousness of native Tatar speakers based on an associative dictionary and to determine its content, which makes it possible to reveal the peculiarities of national and cultural specificity. As a result of the research, it was found that marker words, representer words, interpreter words, and high-frequency words allow us to recreate the system of linguistic consciousness, reflect the specificity of the language, and emphasize the cultural and cognitive meanings of the Tatars, rooted in the linguistic worldview.