LANGUAGE MEANS OF CHARACTERIZATION OF CHILDREN IN I. FRANKO’S WORKS

Abstract

This paper analyzes the characters of children in terms of their social role in the family. In particular, language means used by I. Franko to create characters of sons and daughters are identified. The means of language representation of characters of children are highlighted based on their age: preschool, primary school, youthful and adult. It is found that Ivan Franko’s works provide information about children’s age, social status, appearance (facial features, eye size and color, hair, constitution, clothing), character traits, worldview, mental ability level, speech, self-esteem, behavior in society. There is information about similarities / differences with parents, children’s behavior in the family and the attitude of the environment towards them. To create characters of children, the writer uses nouns, adjectives / participles (it acts as epithets), numerals, verbs, phraseological units, metaphors, similes, and so on. These means represent sons and daughters in works of fiction. It is found that preschool children have the following characteristics: naive worldview, low self-esteem, level of mental abilities is low, they cannot express their opinion and behave in accordance with the expectations of parents / society. Primary school children have additional social roles, they are similar / different from their parents, they have a sense of humor, high intellectual abilities, proper behavior in society. They are characterized by some weakliness and sadness. They feel fear of their parents. Children of adolescence and adulthood, in particular sons, are presented positively and negatively in fiction, which is conveyed by different attitudes towards parents and the environment. Public opinion adds to the negatively presented image of the son, describing him as a dishonest person. Thus, in I. Franko’s works there are characters of children of different ages, each of which has its own characteristics.