Types of linguocultural information in associative fields (based on experiments with Ukrainian-speaking respondents)

Marharyta Zhuikova, Doctor of Sciences in Philology, Professor, Professor in the Department of Ukrainian Language and Linguistic Didactics
Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University
13 Voli Av., Lutsk 43025, Ukraine

E-mail: mzhujkova@ukr.net
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0396-8458

Heading: Articles
Language: Ukrainian

Abstract: The article analyzes several associative fields obtained through free associative experiments conducted with native Ukrainian speakers, focusing on reactions that encode culturally marked information. We distinguish two types of such reactions: neurolinguistic and conceptual. Neurolinguistic reactions have a verbal basis; they are fragments of certain expressions or texts that include both the stimulus and the response (for example, the most frequent response to the stimulus parubok (Eng. young man) is the adjective motornyi (Eng. nimble), and to the stimulus sadok Eng. (Eng. garden) — the adjective vyshnevyi (Eng. cherry).

Conceptual reactions reveal implicit culturally significant connections between certain concepts. These reactions point to sociopolitical, economic, historical, ethnographic, ordinary, and other phenomena characteristic of an ethnic community at a particular stage of its development. For instance, to the stimulus harbuz (Eng. pumpkin), Ukrainians often respond with words that reference the old custom of refusing a marriage proposal. This indicates that cultural knowledge about rituals continues to be transmitted within the community even when the ritual itself has disappeared from everyday life. Alongside notions of ancient Ukrainian traditions, the associative field of the stimulus harbuz also includes reactions related to Halloween.

The article provides a detailed examination of the associative fields of two bird names used as stimuli: synytsia (Eng. titmouse) and zozulia (Eng. cuckoo). Analysis of the associations reveals that Ukrainians perceive the titmouse primarily through its external and behavioral characteristics. In contrast, the associative field of zozulia contains minimal information about the bird’s physical traits but includes reactions reflecting important features of an archaic mythologeme: the cuckoo as an irresponsible mother, as a bird that knows a person’s future, and as one that can predict wealth. Both associative fields contain numerous neurolinguistic reactions. In the field of the stimulus synytsia, these reactions are primarily linked to the Ukrainian proverb “A titmouse in the hand is better than a crane in the sky.” The associative field of zozulia includes reactions pointing to folk songs in which the bird is mentioned.

Overall, the presence of culturally marked reactions in associative fields serves as an indicator of Ukrainians’ national identity and the continuity of their cultural traditions.

Keywords: psycholinguistics, free association experiment, associative field, culturally marked connections between stimulus and response, precedent texts, neurolinguistic responses, conceptual responses, ornithonyms.

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