George Shevelov’s study The Simple Sentence and it’s intricate story

Kateryna Karunyk, Candidate of Sciences in Philology, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Pedagogics, Philosophy, and Language Training, Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education
58 Amosov St., Kharkiv 61176, Ukraine

Е-mail: karunyk@gmail.com
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3157-7833

Having moved to the USA in 1952, Shevelov got an opportunity to have his syntax published by the Mouton & Co publishing house in English translation. However, rumors about the similar text issued earlier in Kyiv disturbed the publisher, and the printing of the Ukrainian clause syntax textbook was postponed again. The Syntax of Modern Literary Ukrainian. The Simple Sentence was finally released in 1963.

This paper elucidates several episodes of the intricate story of Shevelov’s Simple Sentence via the first-hand citations of Shevelov’s correspondence obtained from Schooneveld’s, Borshchak’s, and Shevelov’s archives. An analysis of numerous reviews of all three editions sheds light on how the experts in the USSR, in the Ukrainian émigré circles, and in the American Slavic realm assessed Shevelov’s text. Resting upon the Russian and European grammar tradition, Shevelov’s syntax seemed vague to the American Slavicists. Nevertheless, startling is the author’s synthesis of the structural and logical approaches. Its final version provides valuable remarks of the author on the syntactic phenomena viewed through the developmental trend of the language system. Unfortunately, the book remains unknown to Ukrainian linguists.

Keywords: syntax of the Ukrainian language, clause syntax, grammar tradition, structural approach

REFERENCES
A[ndrej]. K[urimský]. (1964). Ukrajinská syntax [Review of the book The Syntax of Modern Literary Ukrainian. The Simple Sentence, by G. Y. Shevelov]. Jazykovědné Aktuality. Zpravodaj Jazykovědného sdružení při Československé akademii věd, 1, 9—10 (in Czech).
[Anonymous]. (1965). [Review of the book Current Trends in Linguistics (Vol. 1: Soviet and East European Linguistics), by T. A. Sebeok (Ed.)]. Voprosy Iazykoznaniia, 3, 147—165 (in Russian).
Barnstead, J. (1977). [Review of the book Suchasna ukraїnsʹka literaturna mova. Syntaksys, by I. Bilodid (Ed.)]. Recenzija. A Review of Soviet Ukrainian Scholarly Publications, 7(2), 19—26 (in English).
Beebe, J. F. (1965). [Review of the book The Syntax of Modern Literary Ukrainian. The Simple Sentence, by G. Y. Shevelov]. The Slavic and East European Journal, 9(1), 81—82 (in English).
Beleі, L. (2012). U poshukakh tretʹoho vymiru: Zakhidnoievropeіsʹkyі period tvorchosti Iuriia Sherekha — movoznavtsia (1947—1953). In Iu. Shevelʹov, Narys suchasnoї ukraїnsʹkoї literaturnoїmovy ta inshi inhvistychni studiї (1947—1953 rr.) (pp. 13—28). Kyiv: Tempora (in Ukrainian).
Bilodid, I. K. (Еd.). (1972). Suchasna ukraїnsʹka literaturna mova. Syntaksys. Kyiv: Naukova dumka (in Ukrainian).
Boіko, Iu. (1952). Vyznachnyі vklad v ukraїnsʹke movoznavstvo [Review of the book Narys suchasnoї ukraїnsʹkoї literaturnoї movy, by Iu. Sherekh]. Kyїv. Zhurnal Literatury i Mystetstva, 5—6, 302—308 (in Ukrainian).
Borshchak, I. (1951—1955а). Borshchak’s letters to Iu. Sherekh. Ilʹko Borshchak Archival collection (Collection 48, Catalogue 2, Folder 32), Central State Archive of the Émigré Ukrainians, Kyiv, Ukraine (in Ukrainian).
Borshchak, I. (1951—1955b). Iu. Sherekh’s letters to Borshchak. Ilʹko Borshchak Archival collection (Collection 48, Catalogue 2, Folder 82), Central State Archive of the Émigré Ukrainians, Kyiv, Ukraine (in Ukrainian).
Borshchak, I. (1953). Suchasna ukraїnsʹka literaturna mova. Ukraїna. Ukraїnoznavstvo i Frantsuzʹke Kulʹturne Zhyttia, 9, 726—729 (in Ukrainian).
Bulakhovsʹkyi, L. A. (1942, June 15). [Letter to Redʹko F. A.]. Redʹko F. A. Archival collection (Collection 2, Catalogue 1, Folder 13), Central State Archive-Museum of Literature and Arts, Kyiv, Ukraine (in Ukrainian).
Bulakhovsʹkyi, L. A. (Ed.). (1958). Doslidzhennia z syntaksysu ukraїnsʹkoї movy. Kyiv: Vydavnytstvo AN URSR (in Ukrainian).
Chaplenko, V. (1952, December, 7, 14, 21). Shche pro Sherekhiv “Narys.” Svoboda (Sunday Issue) (in Ukrainian).
Cherednychenko, I. (1952). [Review of the book Kurs suchasnoї ukraїnsʹkoї literaturnoї movy (Vol. 2: Syntaksys), by L. А. Bulakhovsʹkyi (Ed.)]. Ukraїnsʹka Mova v Shkoli, 1, 76—79 (in Ukrainian).
Ivanova, V. F. (1955). Obsuzhdenie vtorogo toma “Grammatiki russkogo iazyka.” Voprosy Iazykoznaniia, 4, 145—151 (in Russian).
Karunyk, K. (2012). Mizh Kharkovom i Miunkhenom: “Perekhodova” naukova pratsia Iuriia Shevelʹova. In Iu. Shevelʹov, Do pytannia pro henezu i pryrodu nazyvnykh rechenʹ (pp. 3—18). Kharkiv: Kharkivsʹke istoryko-filolohichne tovarystvo (in Ukrainian).
Karunyk, K. (2016). How do phonemes work in historical phonology? The approach of George Y.Shevelov. In C. Assunção, G. Fernandes, & R. Kemmler (Eds.), Tradition and Innovation in the History of Linguistics (pp. 165—175). Münster: Nodus Publikationen (in English).
Karunyk, K. (2019). Akademik Ivan Bilodid i radiansʹke movne planuvannia v Ukraїni. Zbirnyk harkivsʹkoho Istoryko-Filolohichnoho Tovarystva, 16, 109—146 (in Ukrainian).
Krotevich, Ie. V. (1952). [Review of the book Kurs suchasnoї ukraїnsʹkoї literaturnoї movy (Vol. 2: Syntaksys), by L. А. Bulakhovsʹkyi (Ed.)]. Sovietskaia Kniga, 12, 101—110 (in Russian).
Leiper, M. A. (1923). A New English Grammar. New York: MacMillan (in English).
Luchuk, О. (Ed.). (2018). Colloquia Epistolaria. Iurii Shevelʹov i Iurii Lutsʹkyi. Lystuvannia (1950—2000) (Vol. 1: 1950—1984 rr.). Kharkiv: Akta (in Ukrainian).
Masalʹsʹkyi, V. (1948). Poriadok sliv v ukraїnsʹkii movi. Lektsiia dlia studentiv-zaochnykiv pedahohichnykh instytutiv. Kyiv: Radiansʹka shkola (in Ukrainian).
Matthews, W. K. (1952). [Review of the book Narys suchasnoї ukraїnsʹkoї literaturnoї movy, by Iu.Sherekh]. The Slavonic and East European Review, 31(76), 270—273 (in English).
Nakonechna, H. (1954, September 26). Zdobutky ukraїnsʹkoї nauky. Ukraїnsʹki Visti (in Ukrainian).
Osnovni problemy rozvytku movoznavstva v Ukraїnsʹkii RSR na 1959—1965 rr. [Dlia sluzhbovoho korystuvannia]. (1959). Kyiv: Vydavnytstvo AN URSR (in Ukrainian).
Pliushch, P. P. (1971). Istoriia ukraїnsʹkoї literaturnoї movy. Kyiv: Vyshcha shkola (in Ukrainian).
Rudnyckyj, J. B. (1964). [Review or the book The Syntax of Modern Literary Ukrainian. The Simple Sentence, by G. Y. Shevelov]. Slavica Canadiana, 51, 57—58 (in English).
Rudnytsʹkyi, Ia. (1952). Vazhlyva pratsia pro ukraїnsʹku literaturnu movu. Novi Dni, 31, 25—26.Sapiehin, А. (1940). Tematychnyi plan Akademiї nauk URSR na 1940 r. Visti AN URSR, 1, 30—35 (in Ukrainian).
Schooneveld, C. H. van. (1952—1963). Mouton correspondence with G. Y. Shevelov. Cornelis Hendrik van Schooneveld Archive Collection (SCH 1, 3263), Leiden University Library, Leiden, the Netherlands (in English & Dutch).
Sherekh, Iu. (1947). Do henezy nazyvnoho rechennia. Munich: (n.p.) (in Ukrainian).
Sherekh, Iu. (1951). Narys suchasnoї ukraїnsʹkoї literaturnoї movy. Munich: Molode zhyttia (in Ukrainian).
Shevelov, G. Y. (1953—1974). Correspondence. George Y. Shevelov’s Archival Collection (Box 12, Folder 3). Columbia University, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, NY, United States (in different languages).
Shevelov, G. Y. (1963а). The Syntax of Modern Literary Ukrainian: The Simple Sentence. The Hague: Mouton & Co (in English).
Shevelov, G. Y. (1963b). Belorussian and Ukrainian. In T. A. Sebeok (Ed.), Current Trends in Linguistics (Vol. 1: Soviet and East European Linguistics, pp. 217—264). The Hague: Mouton & Co (in English).
Shevelʹov, Iu. (presumed). (1951). Proste rechennia. In L. А. Bulakhovsʹkyi (Ed.), Kurs suchasnoї ukraїnsʹkoї literaturnoї movy (Vol. 2: Syntaksys, pp. 5—141). Kyiv: Radiansʹka shkola (in Ukrainian).
Shevelʹov, Iu. (2001). Ia — mene — meni… (i dovkruhy). Spohady (Vol. 1: V Ukraїni). Kharkiv — New York: Vydannia chasopysu “Berezilʹ” & Vydavnytstvo M. P. Kotsʹ (in Ukrainian).
Stepanenko, М. (1964, April 5). Nova knyha prof. Iu. Shevelʹova. Ukraїnsʹki Visti (in Ukrainian).
Swoboda, V. (1965). [Review or the book The Syntax of Modern Literary Ukrainian. The Simple Sentence, by G. Y. Shevelov]. The Slavonic and East European Review, 43, 427—430 (in English).
Tarasiuk, M. (1970). Їkhni ideolohichni pozytsiї (Burzhuazno-Natsionalistychna presa pro ukraїnsʹku movu i movoznavstvo). Movoznavstvo, 4, 39—49 (in Ukrainian).
Vadimov, D. (1937, December 29). Russko-Ukrainskii slovarʹ i iego sostaviteli (Po telefonu ot kiievskogo korrespondenta “Pravdy”). Pravda (in Russian).
Vakulenko, S. (2014). Pereklad naukovoho dorobku Iuriia Shevelʹova: Zdobutky ta perspektyvy. In Iurii Shevelʹov — uchora, sʹohodni, zavtra: Zbirka za pidsumkamy naukovykh vykladiv u Kharkovi 30 zhovtnia 2013 r. (pp. 113—129). Kharkiv: Maidan (in Ukrainian).
Van Campen, J. A. (1965). [Review or the book The Syntax of Modern Literary Ukrainian. The Simple Sentence, by G. Y. Shevelov]. Language, 41(1), 126—136 (in English).
Vasylenko, I. O. (1955). [Review of the book Kurs suchasnoї ukraїnsʹkoї literaturnoї movy (Vols. 1—2), by L. А. Bulakhovsʹkyi (Ed.)]. Movoznavstvo. Naukovi Zapysky, 13, 138—152 (in Ukrainian).
Vinogradov, V. V. (1954). Nekotorye zadachi izucheniia sintaksisa prostogo predlozheniia (Na materiale russkogo iazyka). Voprosy Iazykoznaniia, 1, 3—29 (in Russian).