The idiospecifics of Ivan Kotliarevskyi’s language ethnic space

Abstract

The paper presents an analysis of Ivan Kotliarevskyi’s creative achievements in his artistic linguistic space. It reveals the specific nature of the regional peculiarities in «The Aeneid», which became Ukrainian national triumph and a part of world heritage. It was a genius I. Kotliarevskyi who founded new Ukrainian Standard Language, which served as an important impulse for Ukrainian ethnos to understand its own language identity. In «The Aeneid», Vergilius’ plot, which I. Kotliarevskyi transformed into Ukrainian reality, got new interpretation and gave the world colloquial sources of particular folk words. In a special way, these words are the source of centuriesold wisdom and the depth of Ukrainian ethnic culture. The artist managed to convey the national specificity by depicting and describing the scenes of folk manners and customs, extensively using religious traditions and folklore. «The Aeneid» was deeply respected by Ukrainian society and considered an unprecedented artistic literary masterpiece of universal importance. Although New Ukrainian Standard Language, founded by I. Kotliarevskyi, contained a certain number of dialect words, it did not coincide with any dialect completely and had specific features on all language levels. Due to these specific features, the scientists are able to recreate the historical process of Ukrainian word development, to distinguish the historical changes, which became dominant when creating new Ukrainian Standard Language. One of Kotliarevskyi’s great accomplishments is the fact that he was the first among Ukrainian writers who used Ukrainian national language’s incalculable riches to the fullest extent. His poem strengthened the role of the most promising and worth of further development in Ukrainian literature dialect, the central Poltava and Kyiv dialects. Based on the East-Ukrainian dialects, I.P. Kotliarevskyi presented to the world a highly artistic literary masterpiece, which proved that new Ukrainian Standard Language was perfect, with all the specific features of its phonetics, vocabulary and grammar. The poem «The Aeneid» became an example for the creation of great Ukrainian literary works. Even nowadays it contributes to the national understanding of Ukrainian mental principles and cultivating respect to native language and pride for the universally known works created by means of it.