Background. The full-scale Russian invasion of the territory of Ukraine greatly affected the lives of Ukrainian people. The war led to changes in Ukrainians’ interpretation of their mother tongue and, in general, the modification of the understanding of this concept. There is no doubt that studying such changes is an important task in the context of the transformation of the language situation in Ukraine during the war analysis.Contribution to the research field. These findings may help us understand how temporarily displaced people define their mother tongue and describe this phenomenon.Purpose. The study aims to discover which language Ukrainians call their mother tongue, how they interpret this concept, and whether their understanding of the concept of their mother tongue has changed throughout their lives.Methods. The method of language biography is used. Our research material is the language biographies of temporarily internally displaced Ukrainians (27 dictaphone recordings) recorded during language interviews.Results. It is found out that now the concept of mother tongue can be modified in the consciousness of Ukrainians. These modifications relate to the main factor, which is the basis of the definition of the term “mother tongue”. The interviewees most often mean mother tongue as mother’s language, parents’ language, first language, childhood language, the language of the society, language you think in, the language of your country, the state language. After analyzing the materials of the language biographies, we define 6 main models of describing the mother tongue.Discussion. The revealed trends point to the need for new research to record changes in language behavior and consciousness caused by the impact of the full-scale Russia-Ukraine war.

Background. In todayʼs globalized world, scholarly inquiries that delve into the peculiarities of mentalities and uncover the cultural richness of various ethnic groups have become increasingly relevant. This statement is also applies to linguistic studies, which focus on comparing the verbal manifestations of the cultural heritage of the Polish and Ukrainian peoples.Сontribution to the research field. Based on the phraseological and paremiological material of the Polish and Ukrainian languages, the author conducts a comparative analysis of the verbalization of stereotypical perceptions of women. The stereotypical views on the character traits of women, their attitude towards their appearance, and the creation of a family are highlighted. The typical character traits attributed to women are identified, and the means of their verbalization are characterized; the ways and means of demonizing women, reflected in proverbs, are shown. The differences in stereotypical perceptions of women in Polish and Ukrainian cultures are revealed.Purpose. The research aims to compare the peculiarities of verbalization of stereotypical perceptions of women in Polish and Ukrainian paremias.Methods. The primary methods employed in this article include descriptive analysis and analytical and synthetic methods, such as structural, quantitative, and comparative analysis. The descriptive method enabled the systematization of semantic varieties of Polish and Ukrainian paremias reflecting stereotypical views of women. The classification method was applied to systematize the results of the study of Polish and Ukrainian paremias reflecting stereotypical views of women, as well as to identify semantic varieties of paremias on the studied topic and structure their means of verbalization. The analytical and synthetic methods ensured the processing of the achievements of scholars in the field of phraseology. They made it possible to characterize paremias that reflect stereotypical views of women. The structural analysis method enabled the identification of components in paremias, the establishment of relationships between them, and in particular, made it possible to determine the semantic dominants among the means of verbalizing stereotypes about women in the phraseological and paremiological material of the Polish and Ukrainian languages. The quantitative analysis method was used to characterize the frequency of representation of various semantic varieties of paremias on the studied topic. The comparative analysis method was applied to compare Polish and Ukrainian paremias reflecting stereotypical views of women in terms of semantics and the linguistic means presented in them.Results. Polish and Ukrainian paremiology reflects stereotypical assertions that women aspire to create families, cannot fulfill themselves without a man, and are unable to be happy without one. The phraseology and paremiology of both languages reveal a shared understanding of motherhood as a normal and expected state. Evaluations of women based on their appearance and a focus on female beauty are more prevalent in Ukrainian phraseological and paremiological material. However, the claim of womenʼs excessive attention to their appearance is present in the paremies of both compared languages. The stereotypical assessment of womenʼs intellectual abilities, physical strength, and endurance, as reflected in Polish and Ukrainian paremies, is characterized by ambiguity. A common feature of both languages is the allusion to the irrationality, illogicality, tearfulness, and emotional instability of women. The large group of paremies reflects stereotypical notions of womenʼs character traits. The demonization of women is vividly expressed in the phraseological and paremiological material of both Polish and Ukrainian languages, manifested in statements that a woman can surpass evil spirits in wickedness, is similar to them, and is the embodiment of evil. The image of a woman as a temptress and the stereotypical notion of women as timid and wasteful are typical of Polish and Ukrainian paremies. Ukrainian paremies emphasize the flexibility and compliance of women, especially young ones, and their preferences — a love for dancing, sweets, and fussiness in food.Discussion. While Polish and Ukrainian proverbs often position women as guardians and keepers of the domestic hearth, negative stereotypical characteristics of women dominate. The analyzed phraseological and paremiological material reveals views of womenʼs work as being easier and less valuable, and of women themselves as being unable to hold leadership positions or perform significant social roles. A promising avenue for future research is a comparative analysis of the individual traits of women as depicted in Polish and Ukrainian proverbs.

Background. In Ukrainian, the parenthetical modifier mabut’ ‘probably’ has more than 20 synonymous constructions and thus counts among lexical units with largests sets of synonyms. At the same time, in colloquial speech, mabut’ is often replaced by navjerno, which comes from Russian. Replacement of inherited lexicon with borrowings was related to the respective language policy and political situation.Сontribution to the research field. The paper discusses the reasons that contribute to the retention of foreign elements in modern colloquial speech in the case of competition mabut’/navjerno; such studies are important from the point of view of studying the interaction between the literary language and other varieties of the national language, as well as identifying the ingredients of surzhуk.Purpose. In this paper we are going to trace the use of lexeme mabut’ in the lexicographic, literary and spoken practice of the 19–21st centuries and to clarify the reasons behind the displacement of the inherited word by a foreign one in colloquial use.Methods. Using major lexicographic works of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, corpora, materials of the Atlas of the Ukrainian Language, dialect textbooks, etc., a comparative lexicographic synchronic-diachronic analysis of the meanings of lexeme mabut’ is carried out, the geography of distribution of mabut’ and its synonyms is traced.Results. The competition between mabut’ and naverno is analysed taking into consideration all the meanings of mabut’ witnessed in dictionaries of different periods, its synonyms and attestations in the Ukrainian dialects and standard-oriented written practice. The closest synonyms in the early 20th-century dictionaries are lybon’, pevne, des’, in the Soviet-era dictionaries, respectivеly, pevno and očevydno. In the dialects, the form mabut’ prevails in the southeastern dialects with numerous phonetic variants; in the southwestern dialects lexical synonyms abound. A dialect of the Masheve village of the Chernobyl districts exhibits semantically close synonyms mabut’, vidno, može, novjerno.Discussion. Discussion. Navjerno, an element of surzhyk, in many contexts is an absolute synonym of mabut’. The use of navjerno in the early 20th century texts as a stylistic means and its attestation in the Atlas of the Ukrainian language and modern dialects are arguments for an early borrowing into Ukrainian. A great variety of phonetic variants of mabut’ and limited functional sphere of the standard language precluded entrenchment of a single standard lexical unit in everyday speech. Recent texts show that the borrowing is being supplanted by the inherited Ukrainian mabut’.

Background. In Soviet Ukraine, academic discourse often acted as a means of implementing language planning, in particular as a tool for the transformation of the language corpus. All grammar textbooks published after 1933 broadcast the official knowledge: the vocative is not a full-fledged case, but rather a special form of address; morphological means of expressing address in Ukrainian are the “vocative form” and “nominative case.” In the conditions of total control over all areas of social life, Ukrainian linguists were faced with a choice of either 1) look for certain language devices, broadcasting the official theory, which would convince the addressee to believe in the talking points that did not fully comply with the language facts, and then anchor those points in their consciousness; 2) avoid aspects that disagree with the language practice or the logic of academic description; 3) word the findings of their research and observations of the language practice in a way that would not contradict the official theory.Contribution to the research field. The article is dedicated to the analysis of the communication practices used by Ukrainian linguists in the Soviet times to express their academic position, which did not agree with official knowledge. The object of comprehension was a unique for postcolonial societies situation in which the creators of both the official discourse and the alternative discourse opposed to it were the colonised themselves.Purpose. The aim of this research is to analyse ways and means of verbalisation of the alternative academic position held by linguists in the academic discourse of the totalitarian era, based on the materials representing the topics “The Case System” and “Address” in Ukrainian grammar books for higher education, published between 1933–1991.Methods. The research is based on the theoretical and methodological foundations of postcolonial studies, which involve a critical reading of texts that reflect the influence of various forms of authority on the life of subordinate communities. In particular, the theory of critical reading of J. Errimgton’s linguistic works and R. Vodaks’ methodology of discourse-historical approach, which has been adapted for academic discourse analysis, have been applied in this research.Results. Some linguists, who did not share the canonised theory of the vocative, implied their point of view in the official texts they had created (i.e. textbooks for higher education.) On the one hand, they used official terminology and theoretical concepts: they were consistent in naming the vocative case a “vocative form,” and presented two ways of expressing address. On the other hand, the lexical and grammatical structure of their statements levelled the postulates regarding the fact that “vocative is not a case”, and that “the nominative case is used to express address on par with the vocative.” Among the techniques used by the linguists, heavily euphemistic speech in combination with syntactic complication of the structure prevailed, as well as splitting nominations by verbalising the concept with variant naming and violation of logical connections between consecutive statements. Such individual practices of linguistic resistance replicated the practices of the official totalitarian discourse, but with the aim to broadcast the opposite meaning.Discussion. The peculiarity of the alternative academic discourse (in particular, the language education one) of the totalitarian era lies in the fact that it did not directly confront the official theory, but rather occurred within its boundaries. This gives a reason to consider some Ukrainian linguists of the Soviet period as creators of both colonial and anti-colonial discourses.

The Guardian editorial headline is viewed as a two-component structure punctuated with colons in which the first part names the topic and the second one provides its comment. The article examines the frequency and diversity of eight noun phrase patterns and gives structural and functional analysis of their constituents. The author studies how categorial features of nouns, adjectives, and prepositions manifest themselves on a phrase level. Three types of semantic relations between noun-noun components are defined. Two more aspects under consideration are complexity and coordination in noun phrases.

Background. During the rule of the Soviet system, texts in Ukrainian appeared, which became a kind of expression of totalitarianism. Ideologemes forced through linguistic practices of the totalitarian era are still present in the public space of Ukraine, in particular because they were introduced and reproduced not only in Russian but also in Ukrainian.Purpose. The purpose of this exploration is to analyze the article by Andrii Khvylia “From the Slope - into the Abyss” as part of linguistic practices of Soviet totalitarianism.Methods. A discursive approach allows us to establish the facts important for understanding linguistic embodiment of totalitarianism in Ukraine.Results. Saturation of the text by lexemes пролетаріат (proletariat), пролетарськім (proletarian) with different semantics erases the conceptual differences between the words they refer to. The lexeme партія (party) is often used without definition комуністична (communist). The Bolshevik Party is perceived as the only one possible, endowed with unique qualities and powers. The article uses the symbol of October, which is traditional for the Soviet texts of later days. Repetition of ми (we), наш (our), in various forms, actualizes the ideological unity of the author, reader, and other members of the society. Through constant repetition of ideological labels, ворог (enemy), націоналізм (nationalism), фашизм (fascism), the reader remembers them. Appraisals, explicated through the context of use of words, get into the mind. The lexemes український (Ukrainian), фашизм (fascism), націоналізм (nationalism) are combined into a single associative array, creating the negative image of Ukrainian.Discussion. The article by Andrii Khvylia demonstrates ways and means of influencing social consciousness inherent in totalitarianism. Ideologically labeled lexemes пролетаріат (proletariat), пролетарський (proletarian), націоналізм (nationalism), фашизм (fascism) have abstract meanings and serve as an expressive function, expressing positive or negative appraisal. The lexemes партія (party), Жовтень (October) become sacred. Distribution of the text of the article in the form of a separate brochure is caused not only by the need to condemn M. Khvyliovyi, but also by the desire to plant ideas that contribute to strengthening of tiie regime. The purpose of the subsequent surveys should be to study the influence of Soviet totalitarianism on the public consciousness of Ukrainians through texts in their native language in different periods of its existence.Article received 29.07.2019

Background. The linguistic situation in Ukraine is characterized by Ukrainian-Russian bilingualism. The way of the coexistence of these languages is an important factor in Ukrainian society’s life.Purpose. To study language conflict and discrimination based on language in the field of retail and services.Methods. The research is based on the analysis of mass survey data and focus groups discussions conducted in 2017, electronic media publications, forum and social networks posts, that describe language discrimination and language conflicts in retail and service institutions.Results. The study found that issues of language conflict and language discrimination are debatable, with differing opinions from ordinary Ukrainians and language professionals. Analysis of the 2006 and 2017 surveys demonstrated that Ukrainians are not aware of the potential conflict of coexistence of the two languages in society. At the same time, experts point to the existence of social tension in the society related to the language issue. The results of an expert survey in 2000 showed a high level of discrimination against Ukrainian-speaking citizens in Kyiv, and the focus group discussions in 2017 contained examples of discrimination against representatives of Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking population in the retail and services sector, numerous discrimination situations were described on social networks. Such results testify to the contradictory nature of mass consciousness.Discussion. From the results, it is clear that there is a sufficiently high level of conflict of language issues and that the problem of language discrimination is real and it is experienced most by Ukrainian-speaking Ukrainians. There are several preconditions for resolving these issues: an effective language policy and the formation of a high level of national and linguistic consciousness among citizens.Article received 27.08.2019

Background. While the age of the Internet has provoked new discussions about declines in language or literacy, some linguists demonstrate that any general criticism of “the language of the Internet” is just a modern version of century-old linguistic complaint traditions of linguistic complaints that are in fact mostly unjustified. Based on the assumption that “the language of the Internet” as such does not exist, we argue that in some genres, the new medium has in fact brought about new attitudes to the problem of linguistic correctness, including some genres that are traditionally bound to the standard norms of official communication, such as Internet newspapers and web portals.Purpose. The current essay sheds light on the frequency, the essence, and the further distribution (via copy and paste) of misprints and errors in some Ukrainian web media. It demonsrates that the high frequency of language errors that is encountered on some web portals can only partly be explained by the need for high speed news distribution, whereas in most cases it results from a mere lack of awareness of linguistic correctness.Methods. The study focusses on the materials of one of the Ukrainian web portals. It classifies and quantifies the data and points out how misprints and errors are further distributed on the Internet via copy and paste.Results. The essay reveals that the frequency of misprints and errors in some Ukrainian Internet media is in fact relatively high and that almost no editing occurs before these materials are further distributed via copy and paste.Discussion. The study suggests that current efforts at monitoring the linguistic correctness of Ukrainian media should be supported.

Background. Our surveys showed that the evolution of language is strongly influenced by the combination of factors, some of which are the result of external historical events that have occurred locally or internationally, while others still occur due to the ongoing search of the speaker to find a way of expressing his/her thoughts. Purpose. This article presents the results of the survey that allow us to clarify the role of different factors in a situation when bilingual speakers have to choose their language of communication. Our study is the continuation of previous projects in which we have identified the factors that might influence the choice of language in the Ukrainian-Russian language environment formed over a long period of time in Vinnytsia and Vinnytsia region. Methods. In the current study, we analyze the results of the survey where 560 students were asked different questions about their mother tongue, the language of communication in different situations, a number of questions concerning the use of Ukrainian and Russian in their families, with their friends, at school, etc. In addition, the respondents were asked to identify the level of language tolerance. All these respondents live in the city of Vinnytsia (Central Ukraine, 370 thousand people), and in the little towns Lypovets’ and Tul’chyn. The target group of our survey participants consisted mainly of 14–18-year students. Our results showed asymmetrical nature of the relationship between the two groups of speakers. At first glance, both groups are bilingual, but their language use and attitude are different depending on their primary/dominant language. Basically, Ukrainian speakers tend to easily switch from language to language and avoid conflicting situations, although their answers demonstrate that they feel psychological discomfort because of the Russian speakers’ persistence on the language of conversation. In contrast, most Russian speakers are more resilient on the use of their own language, prefer to remain in their circle of communication and do not want to learn Ukrainian. These behavioral patterns are obvious from their answers to the survey questions related to the lack of Ukrainian environment, low prestige of the Ukrainian language, and reluctance to stand out from their environment due to communication in Ukrainian.Discussion. In our further surveys, we will try to investigate the correlation between the language that a person chooses and his/her professional interests. Background. Our surveys showed that the evolution of language is strongly influenced by the combination of factors, some of which are the result of external historical events that have occurred locally or internationally, while others still occur due to the ongoing search of the speaker to find a way of expressing his/her thoughts. Purpose. This article presents the results of the survey that allow us to clarify the role of different factors in a situation when bilingual speakers have to choose their language of communication. Our study is the continuation of previous projects in which we have identified the factors that might influence the choice of language in the Ukrainian-Russian language environment formed over a long period of time in Vinnytsia and Vinnytsia region. Methods. In the current study, we analyze the results of the survey where 560 students were asked different questions about their mother tongue, the language of communication in different situations, a number of questions concerning the use of Ukrainian and Russian in their families, with their friends, at school, etc. In addition, the respondents were asked to identify the level of language tolerance. All these respondents live in the city of Vinnytsia (Central Ukraine, 370 thousand people), and in the little towns Lypovets’ and Tul’chyn. The target group of our survey participants consisted mainly of 14–18-year students.Our results showed asymmetrical nature of the relationship between the two groups of speakers. At first glance, both groups are bilingual, but their language use and attitude are different depending on their primary/dominant language. Basically, Ukrainian speakers tend to easily switch from language to language and avoid conflicting situations, although their answers demonstrate that they feel psychological discomfort because of the Russian speakers’ persistence on the language of conversation. In contrast, most Russian speakers are more resilient on the use of their own language, prefer to remain in their circle of communication and do not want to learn Ukrainian. These behavioral patterns are obvious from their answers to the survey questions related to the lack of Ukrainian environment, low prestige of the Ukrainian language, and reluctance to stand out from their environment due to communication in Ukrainian.Discussion. In our further surveys, we will try to investigate the correlation between the language that a person chooses and his/her professional interests.

Background. Much research has been devoted to the problem of language situation. But in this study it has been analyzed on the basis of the newest sociolinguistic survey in 2017. The article “Modern language situation (on the basis of the 2017 survey)” deals with the problem of Ukrainians’ attitude to the Ukrainian and Russian languages and their usage in everyday life.Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to identify the attitude of Ukrainians to the language problems and analyze their thoughts on the usage of the Ukrainian and Russian languages in the future.Methods. The research was conducted by analyzing the results of surveys that were distributed among 2007 respondents across the whole country, except for the territories that are out of control of Ukrainian government. The method of interview was used to collect these data.Results. The results have shown that bilingualism and diglossia exist in Ukraine. However, the main problem is that most people do not understand the nature of not only language conflicts but also the political ones. The evidences of this are the ambiguous and contradictory answers on many questions. The paper considers the fact that now people do not resist the legislative consolidation of various provisions regarding the Ukrainian language. So the task of Ukrainian language policy is to increase the amount of the Ukrainian language.Discussion. We can conclude that the Ukrainian language will become the main one in all spheres of communication in the future if society and government understand the essence of language problems and try to force out the Russian language of formal and informal communication. As a result, Ukrainian will replace it as it must be the state language.