LEXICAL-SEMANTIC AND GENRE TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE CHILDREN’S LULLABY IN THE LINGUOPRAGMATIC DISCOURSE OF WAR

Abstract

Introduction. The article presents a comprehensive linguopragmatic analysis of the transformations within the Ukrainian lullaby genre under the influence of the full-scale war since 2022. It highlights the problem of how traditional short folklore forms react to extreme historical trauma and adapt to military discourse.
The purpose. The purpose of the study is to identify the mechanisms of adaptation of traditional folklore forms to military discourse and to determine the role of the modern lullaby as a tool for psychological self-regulation and national mobilization.
The methods. The methodology is based on a combination of discourse analysis, linguotextological study of the corpus of texts from the “Lullaby for the Dearest” contest, and pragmatic interpretation of linguistic units.
Main results of the study. The research findings indicate a blurring of the genre boundaries of the lullaby, which, in wartime conditions, can take on the characteristics of a requiem, a prayer, or an incantation-curse. It was found that the use of diminutives for military-related objects and alarming phenomena performs a protective function, neutralizing the fear of death. The transformation of the addressee’s role is described: the child in the texts often appears not as an object of care, but as an active protector of the kin. The findings confirm the hypothesis about the evolution of the modern lullaby into a specific form of “lingual air defense” that performs a therapeutic role and ensures the preservation of national identity.
Originality. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the introduction of a refined typology of lullabies based on the criterion of expanded addressee-orientation, grounded in M. Stepanenko's concept regarding the dynamics of language development during wartime.
Conclusions and specific suggestions of the author. The obtained data have practical significance for further studies in ethnolinguistics and folkloristics; they can serve as a basis for developing psychological assistance methods based on the native word and folk culture.