Diminutive Contronyms in Ukrainian
Diminutive Contronyms in Ukrainian

Summary/Abstract: In the paper, the phenomenon of diminutive contronymy in the Ukrainian language is investigated. Being a type of polysemy, the contronymy is assumed as a universal semantic category with peculiarities in expressive means and in pragmatic functioning across languages. Contronymy is a defining attribute of diminutives in numerous languages. The present paper highlights the main causes for the occurrence of opposite meanings in the semantic structure of Ukrainian diminutives and reveals the range of potential ‘positive’ / ‘negative’ connotative semes within a single diminutivized word. Axiological ambiguity of the concept ‘smallness’ is considered to be the main cause for the occurrence of diminutive contronymy. The phenomenon of contradictory meanings within the category of diminutiveness is explained first of all by the fact that the notion ‘smallness’ potentially may be regarded with endearment, affection, tenderness, etc., on the one hand, and with disrespect, derogation, depreciation, etc., on the other hand. Other factors of the occurrence of opposite meanings in the semantics of Ukrainian diminutives are determined as well: a) contextual pejorization or meliorization of the meaning of the diminutive, b) euphemization, c) social inconsistency in the assessment of an object marked with a certain diminutive, d) pragmatic goals of the addresser.

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