Ukrainian Proverbs as Representants of Informative Text Category

Abstract

The article describes proverbs as represantants of the informative text category, the one among basic text categories. Proverbs as speech units are characterized by syntactic features that are revealed through their relations with other units in the current of speech. Therefore they function as structure and content components of the text as well as means of its categorial and conceptual arrangement. Proverbs are proved to be an effective means of informative massif formation within a text that is connected not only with the author’s and the addressee’s imagery but as well with cultural semiotic universum. As means of text informative category, proverbs in texts stand for factual, conceptual, implicated information. To express factual information, proverbs are applied that are used in direct meaning, the content of which is equal to total meaning of the constituents and is related to real facts, events, situations, processes. To employ conceptual information, proverbs function as headlines, epigraphs, that assist the main text idea to evolve. This is the case they are the way to formulate author’s standpoint. Proverbs cognitive role in rendering conceptual information lies in theirs ability to condense the knowledge of the world, because they to be aimed at the addressee, as vivid signals of addressing appear and vividly appeal to the text perception, being tangibly effective. As headlines and epigraphs, proverbs are supposed to explicate the text conceptual information. Among efficient means of implication are metaphorical and associative proverbs, whereas their meanings are helpful in figuring out and enforcing the associative and imagery content of the literary work. The importance of proverbs in generating implicated information is related to their ability to originate supplementary senses, due to their metaphorical meanings, their ability to join other expressions and deeply rooted ethnic cultural symbols.