Active and Passive Vocabulary in the Light of the New Edition of the Ukrainian Orthography

Valentyna Y. Drobotenko

Email: v.drobotenko@kubg.edu.ua

ORCID ID: 0009-0003-8525-6493

PhD in Philology, Associate Professor

Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/StudLing2025.27.44-56

PDF (UKRAINIAN)

ABSTRACT

The article analyzes the impact of the current edition of the Ukrainian Orthography (2019) on the ratio of active and passive vocabulary in contemporary Ukrainian. Based on the theoretical foundations of lexicology, the study clarifies the essence of active and passive vocabulary and outlines the factors influencing their dynamics and interaction. The methodological framework comprises descriptive, comparative, and contextual-interpretive methods, which made it possible to trace changes in word usage under the influence of orthographic norms. The study reveals that the codification innovations of the orthography facilitated the return of certain historical forms (авдиторія [auditorium], катедра [chair], етер [ether]) from the passive lexicon to the active one, legalized forms (проєкт [project], Фройд [Freud]), and standardized the spelling of new foreign borrowings (госпіс [hospice], фоє [foyer], рієлтор [realtor]), which are integrated into the active vocabulary. Special attention is given to the role of feminatives, which, under the influence of orthographic codification, have moved from the periphery to the core of the contemporary lexicon. The article demonstrates that orthography not only reflects but also directly shapes lexical norms, influencing language practice, variation, and stylistic differentiation of modern Ukrainian lexemes. The results indicate that the current edition of the orthography acts as a factor of lexical dynamics, ensuring a balance between tradition and innovation. Further research prospects lie in analyzing the impact of orthographic changes on the linguistic behavior of different social groups and on the emergence of new trends in the stylistic and communicative development of the Ukrainian language.

Keywords: orthography, active vocabulary, passive vocabulary, variation, borrowings, feminatives, codification.

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