Lexicographic modeling of the preposition in the historical dictionaries of the Ukrainian language

Abstract

This article deals with the modeling the Ukrainian language prepositional system of the14th–15th centuries. «Dictionary of the Old Ukrainian Language of the 14th–15thcenturies» is the result of long-term work of the Lviv Lexicographic School linguists. The dictionary allows to reproduce the model of the prepositional system in general and the semantic structure, variability, syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations of that time preposition in particular. Due to this dictionary, some general tendencies of functioning and development of the prepositional system of the 14th–15th centuries are singled out (expansion of functioning and semantics, variation, formation through the use of internal language resources). Lexicographic modeling of prepositions is done basing on the semantic-grammatical principle, but in many cases it is original.The prepositional system of the Old Ukrainian language is quantitatively dominated by derivative prepositions, although, according to statistics, non-derivative prepositions are used in monuments much more often. Generally, the Ukrainian language of the 14th–15thcenturies had a developed prepositional system, inherited mainly from Proto-Slavic. Ninety-seven prepositions are found in the monuments of 14th–15th centuries. Analysis of prepositions indicatesthat almost half of them have a number of phonetic and graphic variants. Numerous variants testify to the not yet formed prepositional system, and to the absence of a single spelling tradition in the Ukrainian language of the 14th–15th centuries. Such a comprehensive description becomes a basis for further exploration of the grammar and semantics of the preposition in the subsequent time slices. It also serves as a necessary basic component of applied tasks in the field of Ukrainian historical lexicography.