SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR SELF-TESTING AND CLASS DISCUSSION

1. The most general contextual realizations of meanings of the nominalizing and

emphatic articles. The means of expressing their meanings in Ukrainian.
2. The most common contextual meanings of the definite article and means of
expressing them in Ukrainian.
3. The most common contextual meanings of the indefinite article and means of
expressing them in Ukrainian.
4. Ways of conveying the rhematic and thematic contextual meanings of the definite
and the indefinite articles in Ukrainian.
5. Other possible contextual meanings of the definite and indefinite articles and
means of their expression in Ukrainian.

1.The most general contextual realizations of meanings of the nominalizing and

emphatic articles.
The means of expressing their meanings in Ukrainian.
The nominalizing and emphatic articles in English, "a" and "the," respectively, hold
nuanced meanings that find various contextual realizations. Their counterparts in
Ukrainian, while not directly translatable as articles in English, convey similar
functions through different linguistic mechanisms.
Nominalizing Article "a" in English:

General Contextual Realizations:

1. Indefinite and Non-Specific: The article "a" denotes a singular, non-specific
instance or one of many possible examples of a noun. For instance, "a dog"
refers to any dog in general, without specifying a particular one.
2. Countable Nouns: It precedes countable nouns, indicating a singular unit. It's
used before nouns that are not specific or known to the listener.

Ukrainian Equivalents:
In Ukrainian, the function of "a" as an indefinite article is conveyed through context,
word order, and inflections rather than a specific article. The idea of indefiniteness is
often expressed through:

• Absence of an article: In Ukrainian, the absence of an article or specific

markers often indicates an indefinite and non-specific reference. For example,
"собака" (sobaka) translates to "a dog" or "the dog," depending on context,
without a specific article.
Emphatic Article "the" in English:

General Contextual Realizations:

1. Definite and Specific: "The" indicates a specific and identifiable noun,
referring to something previously mentioned or known to both the speaker and
listener.
2. Unique or Specific Context: It's used when the noun in question is unique,
previously referenced, or contextually specific. For instance, "the sun" refers
to the specific star that illuminates the Earth.

Ukrainian Equivalents:
In Ukrainian, the definite article "the" does not exist in the same form as in English.
However, the idea of definiteness and specificity is conveyed through:

• Contextual Clues: Specificity and definiteness are often inferred through

context, word order, and inflections in Ukrainian sentences. For instance, using
possessive pronouns ("мій," "твій," "його," etc.) or demonstrative pronouns
("цей," "той," "такий," etc.) can indicate a definite reference.
• Demonstrative Words: Ukrainian employs demonstrative words to specify
nouns, indicating a specific and known entity similar to the function of "the" in
English. For example, "ця собака" (tsya sobaka) translates to "this dog" or
"the dog" based on the context and specificity implied by "ця" (tsya), meaning
"this."

In summary, while English uses articles like "a" and "the" to convey indefinite and
definite meanings, Ukrainian accomplishes similar notions of specificity and
definiteness through contextual clues, word order, inflections, and the use of
demonstrative or possessive pronouns. The absence of direct article equivalents in
Ukrainian means that nuances of definiteness and indefiniteness are conveyed
through alternative linguistic strategies.

2) The most common contextual meanings of the definite article and means of
expressing them in Ukrainian.
The definite article "the" in English serves various contextual meanings,
indicating specificity and familiarity. In Ukrainian, while there isn't a direct
equivalent, similar notions of definiteness can be conveyed through contextual cues,
word order, and inflections. Here are common contextual meanings of "the" and their
expressions in Ukrainian:
Contextual Meanings of "the" in English:
1. Specificity and Uniqueness: "The" is used when referring to a specific,
unique item or entity that is known to both the speaker and the listener.
2. Familiarity: It's employed when referencing something previously mentioned,
known, or identifiable from the context.

Means of Expressing These Meanings in Ukrainian:

• Contextual Clues: Ukrainian relies heavily on context to convey specificity
and definiteness. The absence of a direct definite article means that specificity
is often implied through the context of the conversation or text.
• Word Order and Inflections: The placement of words and inflections can
signal definiteness. For instance, using possessive pronouns ("мій," "твій,"
"його," etc.) or demonstrative pronouns ("цей," "той," "такий," etc.) before a
noun helps indicate that it refers to a specific entity.
• Demonstrative Words: Ukrainian uses demonstrative words to specify nouns,
akin to the function of "the" in English. For instance, "цей стіл" (tsey stіl)
translates to "this table" or "the table" based on context and the specificity
implied by "цей" (tsey), meaning "this."
• Definite Adjectives: In some cases, using definite adjectives or adjectival
phrases can also convey a sense of definiteness. For example, "the big city"
could be expressed in Ukrainian as "велике місто" (velyke misto), where
"велике" (velyke) implies definiteness similar to "the."

While Ukrainian lacks a direct equivalent to the definite article "the," the language
adeptly uses contextual cues, demonstrative pronouns, possessive pronouns, word
order, inflections, and specific adjectives to convey nuances of definiteness and
specificity in a manner that aligns with the functions of "the" in English.

3. The indefinite article "a" or "an" in English denotes non-specificity and

serves to introduce a singular noun.
In Ukrainian, direct equivalents for indefinite articles do not exist; however,
the notion of non-specificity can be conveyed through various linguistic strategies.
Here are common contextual meanings of the indefinite article and ways to express
them in Ukrainian:
Contextual Meanings of the Indefinite Article in English:
1. Non-Specificity: "A" or "an" introduces a singular noun that is non-specific or
unknown to the listener.

2. Indefinite Quantity: It implies one of many possible instances of a noun

without specifying which one.

Means of Expressing These Meanings in Ukrainian:

• Absence of an Article: In Ukrainian, the absence of an article or specific
markers often implies non-specificity and indefinite reference. For example,
"собака" (sobaka) can translate to "a dog" or "the dog," depending on context,
without a specific article.

• Using Numerals or Quantifiers: To convey the idea of "a" or "an" in

Ukrainian, numerals or quantifiers like "один" (odyn) meaning "one," or
phrases indicating an unspecified quantity can be used before a noun to denote
singularity without specificity. For instance, "один стіл" (odyn stіl) translates
to "a table" or "one table."

• Contextual Cues: Non-specificity is often inferred through context in

Ukrainian sentences. When the context doesn’t specifically identify the noun,
it implies an indefinite or non-specific reference.

• Quantifying Expressions: Sometimes, expressions indicating an approximate

quantity or generalization can convey the notion of non-specificity. For
example, phrases like "деякі," "певні," or "якісь" (deyaki, pevni, yakis)
meaning "some" or "certain" may precede a noun to imply non-specificity.

• Using Indefinite Pronouns: In certain cases, using indefinite pronouns such

as "кожен" (kozhen) meaning "every," "якийсь" (yakis) meaning "some," or
"будь-який" (bud'-yakyi) meaning "any" can imply non-specificity when used
before a noun.

In summary, while Ukrainian lacks a direct equivalent to the indefinite article "a" or
"an," it conveys the idea of non-specificity and singularity through the absence of
specific markers, the use of numerals, quantifiers, contextual cues, quantifying
expressions, and indefinite pronouns, aligning with the function of the indefinite
article in English.

4. Ways of conveying the rhematic and thematic contextual meanings of the

definite and the indefinite articles in Ukrainian.
In linguistic terms, the rheme and theme refer to the information structure of a
sentence. The theme is the information that is already known or established in the
conversation, while the rheme is the new or emphasized information. In Ukrainian,
conveying the rhematic and thematic meanings, akin to the functions of definite and
indefinite articles in English, relies on various linguistic strategies and context-driven
cues:

Conveying Rhematic (New or Emphasized Information) and Thematic (Known

or Established Information):

Rhematic (New or Emphasized Information):

• Using Demonstratives or Specific Adjectives: Introducing new or
emphasized information in Ukrainian often involves using demonstrative
pronouns ("цей," "той," "такий," etc.) or specific adjectives that draw
attention to the uniqueness or novelty of the noun.
• Numerals or Quantifiers: Numerals ("один" - odyn meaning "one") or
quantifiers emphasizing singularity without specificity can signal rhematic
information.
• Contextual Emphasis: Positioning a noun or modifying phrase in a sentence
structure to draw attention or emphasize its novelty in the context of the
conversation or narrative can also convey rhematic information.

Thematic (Known or Established Information):

• Absence of Specific Markers: Thematic information in Ukrainian often
involves the absence of specific markers or articles, relying on the established
nature of the information within the ongoing discourse.
• Demonstratives with Known Context: The use of demonstratives ("цей,"
"той," etc.) may also indicate thematic information when referring back to
something previously mentioned or established in the conversation.
• Contextual Continuity: Maintaining continuity in the conversation or
narrative helps establish thematic information. The use of previously
 mentioned nouns or concepts without reintroducing specific markers
emphasizes their thematic nature.
• Definite Pronouns or Descriptors: Specific pronouns or descriptors ("той,"
"цей," "ваш," "його," etc.) can indicate thematic information by referring back
to something already discussed or known within the discourse.

5.Besides indicating specificity or non-specificity, the definite and indefinite

articles in English can convey various contextual meanings.
While Ukrainian doesn’t have direct equivalents to these articles, it conveys similar
nuances through different linguistic strategies. Here are additional contextual
meanings of the definite and indefinite articles and ways they might be expressed in
Ukrainian:

Additional Contextual Meanings of the Definite and Indefinite Articles in

English:

Definite Article "the":

1. Uniqueness: "The" can signify a specific, unique entity or something that's
one-of-a-kind within a particular context.
2. Superlatives: It can be used with superlatives to indicate the highest degree of
something within a specific category or context.

Indefinite Article "a" or "an":

1. Generic Representations: "A" or "an" can serve as a generic representation
of a singular noun, indicating a typical or representative example within a
category.
2. Generalization: It can be used to generalize or make broad statements about a
category or type without specifying a particular instance.

Expressing These Meanings in Ukrainian:

Uniqueness (Definite Article):

• Demonstrative Words: Ukrainian employs demonstrative words like
"унікальний" (unikalnyi) meaning "unique" or "особливий" (osoblyvyi)
meaning "special" to convey the sense of uniqueness similar to "the" in
English.
Superlatives (Definite Article):
• Using Specific Adjectives: Expressing superlatives or uniqueness in
Ukrainian often involves employing specific adjectives or descriptors that
convey the highest degree or uniqueness within a context.

Generic Representations (Indefinite Article):

• Indefinite Pronouns or Descriptors: To convey generic representations akin
to "a" or "an," Ukrainian uses indefinite pronouns or descriptors like "деякий"
(deyakyi) meaning "some," "кожен" (kozhen) meaning "every," or "якийсь"
(yakis) meaning "some" in a non-specific manner.

Generalization (Indefinite Article):

• Contextual Generalizations: Ukrainian expresses generalizations without
specifying a particular instance through context-driven statements, avoiding
specific markers or articles.