Cherta (Dash) and Chertochka (Hyphen) in the History of Russian Writing

The article traces the terms cherta (dash) and chertochka (small dash; hyphen) and their semantics in the system of the Russian linguistic terminology. As the Russian graphics of the 9th–18th centuries remain understudied, so does the lexical status of dash and hyphen with their semantic and functional differences. Starting with their first mention in lexicographic sources, these two punctuation marks developed complex and interconnected systems of meanings. This fact opens a possibility of an unconventional semantic interpretation, determined by their functional potential. The author traced the semantics of cherta (dash) and chertochka (hyphen) in the Russian language in the 9th–18th centuries to specify their terminological status and identify their functional features. The study relied on the methods of historical, linguistic, definitional, and semantic analyses. Based on the available grammatical treatises, grammars, and dictionaries, cherta and chertochka evolved from the common language vocabulary to linguistic terms due to the functions they performed. Modern general and terminological dictionaries identify chertochka with the orthographic term hyphen. Despite its obvious terminological status, cherta remains outside specialized dictionaries because of its broad semantics. However, cherta, like chertochka, can be considered a term, at least in the historical-linguistic aspect. In the 9th–18th centuries, the term cherta had twelve meanings, each of which received its verbal designation not only through the term itself, but also due to a number of synonymous terms. Most of these meanings dated back to the 18th century, which saw the genesis of Russian linguistics and the first Russian grammars. The earliest meaning of the term goes back to the 9th century, when it denoted a special type of writing of the ancient Slavs (cherty and rezy, i.e., carved strokes). The semantic structure of the term chertochka included five meanings, which shaped in the second half of the 18th century. All of them correlated with the semantic structure of cherta. Based on the range of meanings and functional spheres, chertochka had a narrower use than cherta.

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