LANGUAGE REPRESENTATION OF SPACE (BASED ON THE MATERIAL OF THE TEXTS OF UKRAINIAN SPELLS)

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the linguistic representation of space in the texts of Ukrainian folk spells. To achieve the goal we are to fulfill the following tasks: to define a vocabulary for the designation of spatial concepts, which presents consecrated (clean) and profane (impure) space; analyze traditional formulas that denote space; to describe the linguistic means by which the limitlessness, dynamism, and mobility of space are expressed in the texts of Ukrainian spells. We present examples of Ukrainian spells in the forms in which they occur in the studied texts. So, in the texts of Ukrainian folk spells, we can see the functioning of a consecrated (clean) and a profane (impure) space, the reflections of which are reflected in the vocabulary to designate spatial concepts. Mobility, dynamism of space is conveyed by verbs of motion, and one of the spatial representatives is the lexeme sea, which in turn activates the epithet blue. In addition to verbs of motion, spatial semantics are conveyed by nouns and adverbs of place. Traditional formulas denoting space include constructions with the prepositions by, near, through, in, on, and geographical designations. Clean space is associated with the presence of Christian characters in it, but diseases are sent to places with the meaning of remote (unclean) space. The heavenly space of spells is represented by the symbols the sky, the sun, the moon, stars, and a fiery bugalo. Earthly space contains realities represented by lexemes denoting abstract space (north, south, west, east, side, parts, earth), natural landscape (mountains, forests, mounds, driftwoods, thickets, banks, stones, stumps, slums, ravines), formed territories (road, yard) and buildings (house, church). The spells denoting space are represented by plant names: trees (oak, willow, pear), bushes (viburnum), flowers (rose), herbs (mint, primrose, rowan), agricultural crops (rye), as well as generalized names of plants (tree, grass) and their parts. The lower water-land world is represented by the following nominations: snake, serpent, viper, plow, pike, dead man, devil. Prospects for further research consist in the study of the category of time in the texts of Ukrainian spells.