FUNCTIONAL LOAD OF LINGUISTIC CONTRAST

Abstract

Linguistic contrast is a fundamental concept in linguistics that ensures the differentiation, distinction, and enhancement of semantic units within speech discourse. This article explores the complex system of functions performed by linguistic contrast, including semantic, differential, pragmatic, emotional, cognitive (epistemological), communicative, rhetorical, argumentative, axiological, identificational, positional, focusing, and expressive functions.The author’s concept of the multilevel functionality of contrast encompasses its semantic, cognitive, pragmatic, and emotional levels, which are revealed through the intricate interaction of linguistic means, individual experience, and the speaker’s and addressee’s consciousness. The study analyzes theoretical aspects of the functioning of contrast in language in general and its projection onto literary texts – particularly poetry – where contrast serves not only as a means of structuring meaning, but also as a powerful tool of emotional expression and communicative influence.Based on the works of contemporary Ukrainian poets, the role of contrast in shaping semantic and stylistic oppositions is investigated, reflecting the complexity of war-related and social experience. A significant focus is placed on the differentiation of linguistic units according to various criteria, which ensures the precision of the semantic action of contrast, as well as the cognitive mechanism of categorization and structuring of the recipient’s mental space. The pragmatic aspect is manifested in the formation of communicative intentions, the focusing of attention, and the creation of a desired impact within speech.The role of contrast in expressing identity, positioning the speaker in discourse, and shaping sociocultural codes is also considered. The emotional and expressive functions of contrast are manifested through connotatively marked linguistic means and the dramatization of utterances, which together produce a heightened psychological effect and emotional immersion into the text.Future research in this field is linked to the integration of psycholinguistic approaches aimed at a deeper understanding of the cognitive mechanisms behind the perception of contrastive structures and their influence on the emotional state of the addressee.