The dissertation proposes a new combinatorial-semantic approach to the study of folklore diminutives in lullabies of Modern Greek, Serbian and Ukrainian languages.
For the first time in modern ethnolinguistics the term folklore diminutives is tested, which in the research means diminutive linguistic-poetic signs that have acquired combinatorial-expressive potential in such a genre of folk poetry as lullabies, the monotonous melody of which and musical rhythm determine phonological distribution, grammatical valence and semantic conjugation of diminutive suffixes and diminutive units with their cognitive-metaphorical content.
The combinatorial potential of diminutives in semasiological (from form to meaning) and onomasiological (from meaning to form) aspects is revealed. The connection of diminutive derivation with the interaction of two morphemes: root and affix, which transforms the semantics of meanings and, accordingly, reflects the knowledge of a particular fragment of reality. The diminutive suffix, joining the creative basis, radiates new semantics.
The onomasiological combinatorial potential of diminutive suffixes is characterized, where they are the onomasiological basis of folklore diminutives, and associative complexes play the role of switches in the interaction of base and suffix.
Cognitive mechanisms of modus motivation of diminutives in the conditions of internal combinatorics are revealed, when the onomasiological basis activates the evaluative component of the modus, which in combination with human emotions influences the formation of the semantic "diminutive" and "tenderness" in the folklore diminutive. The external combinatorics of modus motivation of folklore diminutives in a broad context as the movement of folklore diminutive from one conceptual sphere to another is characterized.
To reveal the internal and external combinatorics of folklore diminutives of Ukrainian, Serbian and Modern Greek languages, the dissertation is developed a comprehensive method of comparative and typological analysis of these formations, selected from the lullabies of three ethnic cultures.
The category of diminutiveness is chosen as the basis of comparison. In terms of formal expression - this is a method of affixation, which allowed to identify the phonological combinatorics (distribution) of diminutive affixes in terms of content expression.
It is established that the combinatorics of diminutive suffixes at the morphological level is expressed in the distributive features of morphs, in particular in their limited distribution, which reflects the choice of suffix according to the final base, number of syllables and the type of emphasis of the base in each of the studied languages.
At the grammatical level, in the Ukrainian language the diminutive "inherits" the genus of the creative basis, in Modern Greek "blocks" the original genus and provides its grammatical index, often the middle genus. In Serbian, both types of diminutive suffixes coexist.
At the lexical and semantic level, the most frequent in the lyrics of lullabies are folklore diminutives of plant names, which indicates the close connection of Indo-European descendants that is Greeks, Serbs, Ukrainians with nature.
In modern Greek 11 LSGs were found with the highest indicators of folklore diminutives in 2 LSGs: “Artifacts” and “Animals”. In the Serbian language are 12 LSG. There are 19 LSGs in the Ukrainian language.
At the cognitive-semantic level folklore diminutives are functionally the result of the conceptual integration of different spheres of their use in lullabies.
In modern Greek 10 metaphorical and 2 metonymic models of folklore diminutives are constructed. In all metaphorical models of folklore diminutives, the source space 2 is “Child.
There are only 5 metaphorical models in Serbian. The most productive metaphorical model (2 of 5) was the “Animal” – “Family Ties” model.
The Ukrainian language has the largest number of metaphorical (11) and metonymic (7) models, the most productive of which are “Plant” – “Plant” (2 of 7) and “Abstract Concept” – “Abstract Concept” (2 of 7).
Cognitive metaphorical models of folklore diminutives, which formed a blend as a result of conceptual integration and which belong to LSG “Age” or LSG “Family Ties”, are available in all languages and are most common in modern Greek: “Animal” – “Age” αρνάκι – παιδάκι ( little lamb).
In Serbian, the most productive 3 cognitive metaphorical models are: “Animal” – “Family ties” јагњенце (little lamb) and “Inanimate nature” – “Age” звездице (little star).
Prospects for further research are to test the developed comprehensive methodology for cognitive-metaphorical analysis of folklore diminutives in the genre of folk tales.
Keywords: combinatorial semantics, folklore diminutives, emotionally expressive potential, syntagmatics, phonemic distribution, cognitive combinatorics, metaphorical and metonymic models, lullabies
