Semantic structure of main Russian parametric adjectives

Meaning of Russian parametric adjectives: bol'shoj, krupnyj (cf. krupnaja ryba)'big' VS. malen'kij, nebol'shoj, melkij (melkaja ryba)'small' is analysed. This group of lexemes is compared with adjectives describing size of human body, cf. a)tolstyj, polnyj, zhirnyj, tuchnyj, etc. 'fat' VS. hudoj, toschij, hudoschavyj, etc. 'thin'; b) vysokij' dlinnyj (paren'), dolgoviazyj 'tall' VS. nevysokij, nizen'kij, nizkoroslyj 'short'. Semantic features relevant for these groups of lexemes are revealed. Metasemantic notions "norm" and "prototype" are discussed.