THE FUNCTION OF THE VIRTUAL AND THE ACTUAL MEANING OF THE WORD «HUL» («FISH») IN THE LEXICAL SEMANTIC PARADIGM OF THE KHANTY LANGUAGE

The article reveals the contents of a «virtual» and «actual» meaning of the word «hul» («fish») in the lexical-semantic paradigm of the Khanty language, developed by «field» research model fishing vocabulary. With a focus on the Khanty language’s lexical-semantic paradigm, this article aims to reveal the role and meaning of hul by looking at its actual (contextual) and virtual (potential) meanings. Also it aims to explore the virtual and real meanings of the word «hul» («fish») in the lexical and semantic field of the Khanty language. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to examine the word «hul» from both its specific and general meanings, from the perspectives of language and communication. In this regard, it is important to note that the lexical composition of a language is not simply a random collection of words, but rather an organized whole with its own unique structure. The study has employed source investigation, ethnolinguistic and etymological analysis, comparative historical analysis, and diachronic research. The research findings indicate that the functional and semantic analysis of the fishing vocabulary in the Khanty language has established the inventory composition of the field’s core and periphery. The authors conclude that, even though the Khanty people’s everyday lives and subsistence methods are fundamental to the meaning of «fish», its various meanings capture the variety of cultural and metaphorical environments that are part of the Khanty worldview. Keywords: virtual meaning, actual meaning, paradigm, artificial situation of communication, dialect, segmentation of the lexical-semantic structure, peripherals.