Levyts'kyj A. Functional Changes in the System of Modern English Nominative Units.

The dissertation deals with the problems of the functional changes in the system of Modern English nominative units. Such changes are caused by the phenomenon of functional re-orientation. This phenomenon is typical of present-day English, thus leading to homonymity and polyfunctionality of the English linguistic units. Regularities of functional re-orientation of Modern English word-stock units that are closely interlinked with the implementation of their considerable functional potential are revealed in the dissertation. Grammaticalization, lexicalization, terminologization/determinologization are treated as consequences of functional re-orientation. A new approach to understanding the term "function" in linguistics is worked out on the basis of communicative and cognitive factors.