Tania Kravtsiv

The title of the dissertation «Antonyms in Sergiy Zhadan`s poetry:

Functional and Semantic Properties»
I’m a student of the Institute of Philology of Kyiv National Taras
Shevchenko University.
My scientific adviser was Mosenkis Iurii Leonidovich, the professor of the
Ukrainian language and applied linguistics department. We met on regular
basis, he directed my efforts and gave useful advise, prescribed further
reading, suggested avenues to explore and I informed him on my progress.
The topic of my dissertation was «Antonyms in Sergiy Zhadan's poetry:
Functional and Semantic Properties».
The reasons why this topic had been chosen were motivated by the
relevance of this study. Nowadays, the scientific development of the
antonymic relations problem is mainly based on the analysis of their
linguistic characteristics. At the same time the problem of studying these
relations in Belles-Lettres Style is an equally important, because the
semantic differences in comparison to common vocabulary is wider,
brighter and more active. Observation over the functioning of different
types of antonyms in poetic texts makes it possible to determine not only
their artistic originality, but also the key elements of the authors'
worldview. Sergiy Zhadan's works are an interesting phenomenon both in
terms of content, poetic form and language. The study of linguistic
properties in his works is essential for the development of Belles-Lettres
Style and the Ukrainian literary language as a whole.
The objectives of this research was to study the functional and semantic
properties of antonyms in Sergiy Zhadan's poetry.
The subject area of my research was the S. Zhadan's poetry.
The specific topic of the work were the functional and semantic properties
of antonyms in Sergiy Zhadan's poetry.
The necessary tasks to be achieved were:
1. To consider, analyze and summarize the theoretical and
methodological foundations of the study of the antonymy, its history,
features and the concept of opposites as the semantic basis.
 2. To explore the functional-semantic aspect of the antonymy in the
Ukrainian language, its features and components and to make
functional-semantic analysis of the antonyms in the artistic discourse.
3. To examine the antonymy in the linguistic aspect of Sergiy Zhadan`s
individual style, the lexical basis of the contrast expression in his
poetry and the stylistic means of its implementation.
In the dissertation such research methodology as semantic, stylistic,
systemic, contextual analysis and descriptive method were used.
The advances in this research is provided by the subject area and the
specific topic of the research, in view of the fact that functional-semantic
features of antonymy on the basis of S. Zhadan's poetry is subjected to the
scientific investigation for the first time.
The articles of Kseniia Taranenko, Florii Bacewicz, Nadiia Bobuh,
Anatoliy Moisienko, Oksana Harchuk, Lev Polyuga served as the
theoretical sources.
The basic structure of the research consisted of the Introduction, the
main Body of three chapters, the General Conclusions and the
Bibliography (References).
A recognized theoretical value of the study lies in the fact that it clarifies
the existing ideas about the nature of antonymy, its limits, the functions of
its different types, characterizes the linguistic and cultural factors of the
organization of types of oppositeness as the main philosophical
determinant and is able to be the basis for further description of the
functional and semantic features of antonymy in the poetic texts of other
authors.
This research also provides a practical value which lies in the fact that the
results of the study can be useful in the process of compiling
terminological and encyclopedic dictionaries as well as textbooks, or
implemented in the practice of teaching the Ukrainian language at all
levels of education.
In the Introduction I set up the theme of my study, defined some key
questions, such as the names of the researchers who examine the problem
of antonymy and the titles of Sergiy Zhadan's pieces of writing which were
used as a list of material researched for my diploma work («They buried
their son last winter», «God Sympathizes with Outsiders», «The Life of
Mariia», «White People»).
In the First Chapter (theory section) entitled «THEORETICAL AND
METHODOLOGICAL BASIS OF THE STUDY OF THE ANTONYMY»
I considered the history of the study of antonymy, the main features of the
antonymy as the language universal and the concept of opposites as the
semantic basis. The problem of antonymy was studied back in ancient
times by Aristotle who was convinced that opposites do not exist by
themselves, they must be embodied in a certain carrier (living or dead
being). In this part I stated that the antonyms of the Ukrainian language are
divided into complementary (they contrast two species concepts that
complement each other, for example dead – alive), graded (there are two
species concepts of one genitive concept, in which the opposite is
expressed diametrically, for example cold – chilly – warm – hot),
coordinate (used to designate two opposite time intervals or spatial points,
for example here – there, morning – evening, now – in the past) and vector
(for example, get up – go down). I also claimed that the antonyms can be
not only the words that opposites by their literal lexical meaning (for
example, black – white) but also the words that opposites by their
substantive characteristics (for example, green and red as a permission and
a prohibition during the traffic).
In the Second Chapter (theory section) entitled «FUNCTIONAL AND
SEMANTIC ASPECT OF THE ANTONYMY IN THE UKRAINIAN
LANGUAGE», the review and verification of the accumulated material
provides us with the opportunity to conclude that many words in the
lexical system of the Ukrainian language are connected not only by
synonymous relations, but also by antonymic ones. In this case, the words
are combined with each other in pairs by their characteristic opposite
meanings (for example, good – bad, truth – lie). Antonyms can denote
qualities and properties (for example, sweet – sour), human feelings (to
laugh – to cry), oppositely directed actions (to close – to open), natural
phenomena (heat – cold), temporal and spatial concepts (early – late),
quantity, size and amount (many/much – few/ little). Moreover, antonyms
are the most universal means of contrast, in particular such a stylistic
figure as the antithesis. The most numerous group of antonyms used by the
authors of poetry are those antonyms which semantics are directly related
to the illumination of human traits and actions.
In the Third Chapter (the development of hypotheses) entitled
«FUNCTIONAL AND SEMANTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
ANTONYMS IN SERHIY ZHADAN'S POETRY», I considered the
contrast and opposition with all its speech variants and analyzed their
implementation in S. Zhadan poetic work. Stylistic means of implementing
contrast in the author's poetic works were singled out; attention was drawn
to the lexical basis of the antonymy of
S. Zhadan's poetry and it was emphasized that it is the opposition that is
one of the important characteristics of the writer's individual style.
Functional and semantic characteristics of antonyms in S. Zhadan writings
indicates that he uses these opposites for the emotional reinforcement.
Antonyms help to create a contrast between different elements of poetry,
which can be used to emphasize the theme, atmosphere and mood. In the
poems of S. Zhadan, those antonyms are often used that can reproduce the
versatility of human feelings and thoughts, as well as depict the dialectics
of the human interaction with the society. We can find such opposites in S.
Zhadan poetry: light – darkness, black – colorful which represents the
contradictions in the lyric hero's character or the oppositeness of
something exciting and monotonous; also he often uses the contrast words
holy – unfaithful, or righteous – sinful to depict the controversy of human
existence. Basically, he uses antonyms to draw attention to the opposites
such as war and peace, freedom and slavery, good and evil, life and death
which are the key themes of his writings.
To summarize, it is worth noting that in the process of writing Belles-
Lettres, writers use various artistic means for the purpose of emotional
reinforcement, and antonyms are one of the most widely used tools to
create the effect of emotional coloring and to influence the reader. Thus,
the rich variety of antonyms of the Ukrainian language creates ideal
conditions for their stylistic use, and at the same time reminds us that the
use of such contrasting words in the language and the poetry as well
should be justified. Antonyms in Sergiy Zhadan's poetry are the one of the
main ways of organizing his writings which contributes to the embodiment
of his perception of the world.
The potential future directions of the research lie in the fact that we can
focus on the studying the semantic and stylistic features of the antonyms
not only in another Sergiy Zhadan's writings, but also in the poetry and
prose of the rest Ukrainian authors.