LATIN FOR DENOTING THE SOCIO-LEGAL STATUS IN UKRAINIAN DOCUMENTS (XVI-XVIITH CENTURIES).

Abstract

The article focuses on the study of Latin social-legal terms used for denoting the socio-legal status of the inhabitants of Ukrainian lands in the 16-17th centuries. After terms analysis the basic milestones of formation of terminology on designation of the social and legal status in that period are briefly considered. It was established that the main markers for determining the socio-legal status of a person in the 16-17th centuries, in addition to ethnic and religious affiliation were: higher and lower status (inferior, superior, minor, major, sublimus, nobilis, famatus, honorabilis, discretus, majestas), definition of the status according to the sphere of activity and the opportunity to be involved in others, which was also due to the distinction between "free" people and "not free, slaves" (laboratus, liber, illiber, proprius, mancipius, servus, famulus). In the context of this group of terms, the variety of the free person status is observed, depending on how such a status was acquired: a slave owned from birth, "acquired" slave-servant, slave, and so on. Therefore, documents often provide a definition that indicates whether the employee is employed (famulі serviles, servі apreciati). Also important was the presence or absence of the city status or suburban residency, which is especially relevant for residents of large cities, where there was a more or less implemented component of local self-government, which was often important in the field of law (civis, suburbanus, inhabitans urbis/oppidi comparing with rural residents such as rusticus, vagus). It is noteworthy that the documentation certifies the definition of financial and economic potential of a person or group (personae obtentae, possessionatae, possessae, mendicus, pauper, homo otiosus, homo vagabundi, pedanus, kmeto). Equally important in the context of the already mentioned ethnic and religious affiliation was also belonging to an ethnic community, group (congregatio), as well as the level and position in it (senior, major). Keywords: social and legal status; law term; social term; Latin terminology; Ukrainian documentation of the XVI-XVIIth centuries.