Phenomenon of “language game” in contemporary Ukrainian Studies

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the concept of “game” and the phenomenon of the language game in the modern scientific interpretation. The interpretation of the concept of “language game” is reviewed and averaged. Scientific views on the game phenomenon in different spheres of human knowledge are presented. The author has made an attempt to study the nature of the language game and its main characteristics, to analyse its features. On the one hand, language game is seen as the intentional departure from the norm with the purpose of creating a humorous effect, on the other, it is perceived as the usage of rhetorical techniques in creation of eloquent expressions. The concept of linguistic creative thinking is closely related to the analysed concept. It has been proven that for the successful implementation of the language game, high level of linguistic creativity must be possessed by both the author and the recipient. Correct decoding of the message depends on the author’s adherence to the principles of the language game, in particular, to allusive and figuratively-heuristic ones. The first principle involves the decoding of the precedent phenomena (i.e., names, texts, situations), which creates a programmed effect of associative derivability of the meaning of game techniques. The second principle of the language game encourages the recipient to co-create with the author, turning the process of reading into a kind of a quest. In the article, linguistic techniques for creating a language game at the level of word form as well as at the level of meaning and form are simultaneously classified and analysed on the example of modern Ukrainian language. These features create the effect of associative multidimensionality of the text, which provides the semantic content of language and game techniques for different levels of reading.