LANGUAGE IS OUR WEAPON: NEW MEANINGS OF OLD METAPHOR DURING THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR

Halyna SІUTA,
Doctor of Philological Sciences, Leading Researcher of Department of stylistics, language culture and sociolinguistics, Institute of the Ukrainian Language of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine;
4 Hrushevskyi St., Kyiv 01001, Ukraine;
E-mail: siutagalia@gmail.com
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3273-1644

Heading: THE INTEGRATIVE DIMENSION OF MODERN UKRAINIAN LINGUISTICS
Language: Ukrainian

Abstract
The article deals with the peculiarities of the radical expansion of the Ukrainian-speaking communicative space motivated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which did not take place due to regulation, but due to the explosive growth of the emotional and socio-political consciousness of Ukrainians. The activity of a voluntary choice in favor of the Ukrainian language in daily communication has been demonstrated, in particular in the practice of state-makers, high-ranking officials of Ukraine, and public figures. This witnessed a radical change in the understanding of language as a symbol of identity and language as a means of communication.
The lexical and phraseological means of motivating the choice of the Ukrainian language as a priority means of communication are characterized (voluntarily switched, wanted to switch to Ukrainian and did so, made a choice, decided to speak, decided for myself) and reasons for dissociation from the Russian language (I do not want to speak the same language with the occupiers; I don’t want to have anything to do with the occupiers; I don’t want to speak the language in which children are killed; I don’t want to spread the “Russian measure”; I don’t want to be part of the Russian pseudo-culture; to avoid associations with Russia), etc.
Rethinking, recoding linguistic values, realizing that language is one of the fundamental signs of a self-sufficient, self-determined, historically and culturally realized nation is especially significant for state-makers and senior officials of Ukraine.
In the context of the analysis of language as a security code, the nature of lexical shibboleths is considered.
Key words: Ukrainian language, language values, national identity, metaphor.

LEGEND
The girl tied their hands and shot … No more of the Kiyan warriors speak Russian. NTA. 23.06.2022. URL: https://www.nta.ua/divchynczi-zvyazaly-ruky-i-rozstrilyaly-bilshe-nihto-z-voyiniv-kyyan-ne-govoryt-rosijskoyu-kombat (in Ukr.).
Hrytsenko P. Language-an important front of victory. Glavcom. 08.05.2022. URL: https://glavcom.ua/country/science/pavlo-gricenko-militarni-novini-zaymayut-usyu-nashu-uvagu-a-pitannya-movi-postaje-u-novih-aspektah-843479.html (in Ukr.).
They spoke a nightingale: who from the stars switched to Ukrainian during the war. Ranok.ICTV. 20.05.2022. URL: https://ranok.ictv.ua/ua/2022/05/20/zagovorili-solov-yinoyu-hto-z-zirok-perejshov-na-ukrayinsku-pid-chas-vijni/amp (in Ukr.).
“Go to the sectivar”. The Kyiv-Mohyla Academy was banned from Russian-it has caused disputes among Ukrainians. NV. URL: https://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/events/en-kiyevo-mogilyanskiy-akademi-akadi-akaji-zabi reakciya-socmerezh-novini-ukrajini-50300600.html (in Ukr.).
Only in Ukrainian or also Russian? Known Ukrainians-about whether during the war it is necessary to move to Ukrainian. NV. 09.11.2022. URL: https://life.nv.ua/ukr/socium/chi-treba-pid-chas-viyni-perehoditi-na-ukrajinsku-movu-dilyatsya-vidomi-ukrajinci-novini-ukrajini-50282554.html (in Ukr.).
Masenko, L. The Ukrainian language is the main enemy of Russia. Radio Svoboda. 26.03.2020. URL: https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/30509991.html (in Ukr.).
Have nothing to do with the occupier. Stories of Ukrainians who renounce Russian. Ukrainian Pravda. 05.28.2022. URL: https://life.pravda.com.ua/society/2022/05/28/248842 (in Ukr.).
“I don’t want to speak the same language with the occupiers!” Stories of displaced persons who have switched to the Ukrainian. Tvoemisto. URL: https://tvoemisto.tv/exclusive/ne_hochu_govoryty_odniieyu_movoyu_z_orkamyokupantamy_chotyry_istorii_ukrainizovanyh_rosiyskomovnyh_ukraintsiv_129632.html (in Ukr.).
Why do Ukrainians ask the word “meadow” to identify the Russians? Lviv. 18.06.2022. URL: https://lviv1256.com/lists/chomu-ukraintsi-prosjat-vymovytytyty-palia-paliasia-dlia-idyfikatsii-rosiian-rosiian (in Ukr.).
At night, even Russian speakers switch to Ukrainian. A warrior with Kramatorsk about the Language value on front. NTA. 19.05.2022. URL: https://www.nta.ua/unochi-navit-rosijskomovni-perehodyat-na-ukrayinsku-voyin-z-kramatorska-pro-znachennya-movy-na-fronti (in Ukr.).
I am a man who said Kakai Raznnitsa: Dantes repented of Russian and remembered how he was “pressed”. SHOWBIZ.24. 29.11.2022. URL: https://showbiz.24tv.ua/dantes-vibachivsya-za-rosiysku-movu-nazvav-sebe-egoyistom_n2207892/amp (in Ukr.).