The concept of a REFUGEE: transformations in modern Ukrainian culture

Abstract

The article deals with the study of diachronous and synchronous modifications of the semantic composition of the lexeme REFUGEE in Ukrainian linguistic culture. Based on the results of component analysis, thematic groups have been established and psycholinguistic factors affecting the formation of the concept REFUGEE in modern media content have been analyzed. Data comparison of the results of the component analysis, receptive and association experiments concerning positioning of the concept REFUGEE testifies that the number of semantic components of the lexeme «refugee» generally corresponds to the number of meanings found in lexicographical sources. At the same time, the content analysis has allowed to establish a significant extension of the meanings which specify: the causes of refugees, including social reasons and externals; emotional colouring of the concept; subject-object nominalization in which such components as `affiliation with the Eastern regions of Ukraine`, `directions of relocation` (characteristics of initial point and final destination), `military conflict in Ukraine as a reason of refugees`. New thematic groups testify to the extension of the meanings of the concept REFUGEE. Media content analysis showed that in Ukrainian ethnic culture the lexeme-verbalizer «refugee» acquires new specific meanings and transforms into linguistic culture. The technologized discourse of new media made it possible to define information concerns and systems of values of internet communicants. The results of the content analysis of high profile incidents which was conducted with the «Attack Index» service allowed to define their positive/negative colouring, frequent key words and key positions of the «war of discourses» going on around the issue of refugees.