SEMANTIC SPACE OF THE UNIVERSAL MORAL AND ETHICAL CONCEPT ЖАЛІСТЬ/SYMPATHY

Abstract

The paper deals with the study of the concept ЖАЛІСТЬ/SYMPATHY in Ukrainian and English languages which can be considered rather relevant for the present-day political, economic, social and educational situation in Ukraine because it is the universal, moral and ethical emotion concept which is utilised as the element of war professional propaganda via specific formats and technologies to deliver social and political impact and manipulation on the existing system of social and political views and outlooks. The concept was selected as the basic unit for the analysis because it is defined as the operational memory unit, the mental entity, the result of knowledge objectivisation. Moreover, as the concept functioning relates to specific national context and particular conditions of society existence, it can express its semantic potential and adapt it in accordance with the existing value priorities at a particular stage of society development and cause purposeful influence or even manipulation on its members. The comparison of the semantic spaces of the universal moral and ethical concept ЖАЛІСТЬ/SYMPATHY in Ukrainian and English languages has revealed the fact that this mental unit is determined as important in moral and ethical paradigms in the both languages because it it is stipulated for the basic human antithesis "good/evil". In Ukrainian it relates, to more extent, to emotional feature of moral, ethical value of both humans and any living creatures implying the desire to introduce not only love, pity, weal for others and even an element of empathy. In English it also expresses spontaneous irrational emotional response to any misfortune or disaster, but, at the same time, implies the pragmatic decision-making to render some practical assistance. The results of the study can be used for teaching semiotics, cognitive linguistics or PR technologies.