SEMANTIC AND PRAGMATIC FEATURES OF UKRAINIAN BIBLICAL PHRASES (BASED ON THE MATERIAL OF JOURNALISTIC TEXTS)

Abstract

Biblical phrases in the titles of articles are a powerful suggestive linguistic means actively used in the public speeches due to their expressiveness. The complex stylistic and pragmatic functions of phraseological units in the process of their functioning in speech areenhanced by various kinds of transformations. There are cases of application of substitution techniques, expansion of the component composition with contextually determined lexemes, phraseological allusion of various types and ellipsis in Ukrainian biblical expressions.Cases of creating a language game of structurally unmodified units, as well as changes in valence have been identified. Transformations of phraseological units with figurative meaning lead to: 1) specification of their meaning, 2) acquisition of additional denotative semes,3) acquisition of the features of free lexemes with direct meanings by the components of phraseological units, 4) change of meaning at the level of signifier and denotation, 5) literalization of meaning.Phraseological units devoid of metaphoricity have the meaning resulting from the sum of lexical meanings of their components inthe newly formed unit. The connotative meaning of the transformed biblical phrases is intensified, its expressive, emotional and evaluativesemes are actualised. Phraseological units that traditionally belong to the bookish style often sound ironic and sometimes even sarcastic in headlines, which results in a lowering of their style. The informative function of titles that use transformed biblical expressionsis optional. The main role is mostly played by the pragmatic function: occasional phraseological units influences the recipient bythe unusual form, composition, meaning, and sphere of use, making him or her interested and encouraging to read the material, or even imposing attitude on a particular event, fact, phenomenon, etc. Obviously, this is the main intention of the creator of the transformed phraseological unit.