TO THE PROBLEM OF THE CONSONANT LENGTHENING IN THE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE: DIACHRONIC ASPECT

Abstract

Lengthening of the coronal consonants, which developed as a result of the assimilation of sound [j] by previous softened consonants – is the characteristic feature of the Ukrainian language consonantism. The reflection of this phenomenon in old Ukrainian literary and written language arouses special interest, since formation of the main features of Ukrainian language as the differential characteristics of the national linguistic system can be traced exactly from the point of view of diachrony. The purpose of our study is to identify features of the assimilation process of the following j by softened consonants, to analyze examples of j assimilation towards their territorial extension and sound change chronology, basing on the Ukrainian written reminders of the XIV – XV centuries. As a result of scientific investigation, obvious signs of the initial phase of the consonant lengthening, caused by the assimilation of sound [j] by previous softened consonants, are observed, especially explicit ones are in the reminders of business writing from the different regions of Ukraine. Researchers chronologize the development of this phenomenon starting from the XV century, while we can assume that this process has been partially reflected in the texts of the officially-business and confessional styles of the Ukrainian language of the XIV century, and in the next century it acquires consequent features.

Keywords

• писемні пам’ятки
• староукраїнська мова
• асиміляція звука [j]
• подовження
• приголосний звук