From toponym to appellative: the mechanism of semantic transformation of the lexeme “bedlam” in the Russian language

INTRODUCTION. The lexeme “bedlam” is a striking example of a linguistic phenomenon – the transition of a proper noun into a common noun with complete determinologization and the acquisition of a stable expressive coloring. Its semantic evolution reflects the deep processes of metaphorical transfer and adaptation of borrowings in the Russian language. The aim of the study is to trace the etymology, stages of semantic transformation, and determine the stylistic status of the lexeme “bedlam” in modern Russian.
MATERIALS AND METHODS. The research material consisted of data from authoritative lexicographic sources of the 20th–21st centuries (dictionaries of foreign words, explanatory, encyclopedic, and specialized dictionaries). Etymological, semantic, and stylistic analysis methods were used, as well as the method of continuous sampling and systematization of dictionary definitions.
RESEARCH RESULTS. It has been established that the semantics of the word “bedlam” have evolved from the name of a specific institution (a psychiatric hospital in London) to an expressive designation for extreme chaos and disorder. A mechanism of metonymic transfer (place name → phenomenon characteristic of it) has been identified, leading to the complete loss of its direct nominative meaning. It has been proven that in modern Russian, the lexeme has firmly established itself in colloquial style, functioning as a synonym for the words “chaos”, “mess”, and “confusion”.
CONCLUSION. Three key stages in the history of the lexeme have been identified: borrowing, metaphorization, and determinologization. It has been established that its stylistic marking and expressiveness are a direct consequence of the semantic shift that occurred. It is concluded that the history of the word “bedlam” is a canonical example of the interaction between extralinguistic factors (the history of the institution) and intralinguistic processes (semantic shift), which enrich the language with expressive means.