REFLECTION OF INCANTATIONS, OATHS, AND CURSES IN THE PHRASEOLOGICAL SYSTEMS OF UKRAINIAN AND ENGLISH: THE ASPECT OF UNREAL BEINGS

Abstract

The aim of the study is to identify and compare the linguocultural characteristics of phraseological units originating from magical discourse (incantations, oaths, curses) containing the name of an unreal being, and to establish the ways they are reflected in the modern linguistic worldviews of Ukrainians and English speakers. The object of the study is the phraseological fund of the Ukrainian and English languages, which includes names of unreal beings and genetically originates from magical folklore genres. The subject of the research is the semantic, ethnocultural, and pragmatic features of the reflection of magical genres in these units from a comparative perspective. To achieve this aim, a complex of methods was employed: the method of continuous sampling to form the research corpus (over 180 units); component analysis to decompose phraseme meanings into semes; conceptual analysis to reconstruct the content of the ‘unreal’ concept; the comparative-typological method to identify cross-linguistic parallels; and discourse analysis to study the functioning of phrasemes in modern digital communication. As a result of the analysis, it is established that the concept of ‘reflection’ explains the mechanism by which archaic magical rituals are recoded into modern linguistic systems, transitioning from a performative act to an emotional invective. It is proven that magical discourse is institutional, as it possesses a strict canon and fixed roles (addresser, addressee-being, beneficiary), which has ensured the stability of phraseological units over centuries. The process of desacralisation is identified, where a real appeal to higher powers is transformed into a means of expressing intense feelings (e.g., in digital communication). Comparative analysis revealed differences in ethnocultural codes: the Ukrainian language reflects a tendency towards anthropomorphisation and animism (chort, domovyk, mavka), while English reflects hierarchy and euphemisation (devil, spirit, elf, fairy). Research prospects are seen in the further study of the manipulative potential of magical reflections in the context of cyberbullying and hate speech, as well as in a deeper analysis of the transformation of verbal aggression in modern media practices.