PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS OF LATIN ORIGIN IN THE ENGLISH AND UKRAINIAN LANGUAGES: A CONTRASTIVE AND CULTURAL ASPECT

Abstract

The article explores phraseological units of the English and Ukrainian languages through the prism of Latin heritage. Selected idioms and proverbs are examined as specific linguistic units that possess idiomatic meaning, are characterized by stability and reproducibility, and function as carriers of a people’s cultural and historical memory. Phraseological units are interpreted as lexico-semantic unities whose meanings cannot be derived from their individual components but are formed within established linguistic traditions. The study analyzes scholarly approaches to defining the concept of a phraseological unit, outlines its key features (reproducibility, stability, idiomaticity), and emphasizes the role of phraseology as a repository of cultural memory. The aim of the research is to identify the role and significance of Latin proverbs and idioms in shaping the phraseological systems of the English and Ukrainian languages. Within the phraseology of the languages under consideration, distinct systems of stable linguistic symbols have developed, reflecting the most significant concepts through vivid imagery. The set of meanings embodied in such linguistic symbols is largely universal. As a rule, symbolic value is acquired by names denoting the most familiar and customary realities of human life, such as tools, plants, animals, and natural phenomena. The research material consists of proverbs and idioms containing zoonymic and floristic components, selected from Latin, English, and Ukrainian dictionaries, as well as examples of their contemporary usage in English-language social media over the past five years. The study employs a comparative analysis of proverbs with animal- and plant-related components, which are based on universal images of nature while simultaneously reflecting national and cultural specificity. Common and divergent images, semantic parallels, and culturally conditioned features are identified. It is demonstrated that a substantial number of Latin expressions have preserved their semantic core in both English and Ukrainian, having adapted to the linguistic norms of these languages. The findings indicate a tangible influence of Latin on the formation of the phraseological systems of English and Ukrainian and confirm the continued relevance of proverbs in contemporary digital discourse. The study highlights the intercultural continuity of phraseology and outlines prospects for further research in the fields of contrastive phraseology and cultural linguistics. The results obtained confirm the important role of phraseological units as a means of intercultural communication and the перспективність of further comparative phraseological studies