PSYCHOLINGUISTIC PARAMETERS OF PERCEPTION AND INTERPRETATION OF LINGUISTIC CONTRAST
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2522-4077-2025-214.2-38Keywords:
linguistic contrast, psycholinguistics, reception, interpretation, cognitive model, linguistic creativityAbstract
The article presents a psycholinguistic interpretation of linguistic contrast as a cognitive mechanism involved in meaning-making, information accentuation, emotional influence on the recipient, and memory consolidation of a message. The aim of the article is to identify the psycholinguistic parameters of perception and comprehension of contrastive constructions in the process of speech activity.It has been established that the psycholinguistic mechanism of contrast formation constitutes a complex, multi-level process that includes conceptual construction, realization of communicative intention, lexico-syntactic structuring, as well as the involvement of memory and contextual prediction mechanisms. This mechanism simultaneously enhances the semantic intensity of an utterance and increases its communicative effectiveness, performing functions of semantic differentiation, aesthetic expressiveness, and stimulation of the recipient’s interpretative activity. Based on recent psycholinguistic studies, the stages of contrast reception are described – from initial perceptual recognition to cognitive structuring and affective response. The study substantiates the role of contrast in focusing attention, activating mental representations, developing linguistic intuition, and intensifying cognitive engagement.Special attention is paid to the psycholinguistic aspects of contrast in text – its ability to disrupt expectations, provoke cognitive amplification through the juxtaposition of polar concepts, form associative links, and support deeper interpretation of artistic messages. The interpretation of contrast in literary discourse is viewed as a means of intensifying meaning, creating aesthetic impact, and provoking non-standard understanding.The article outlines the influence of contrast on speech prediction processes, reaction speed, and subconscious emotional processing.This study opens new prospects not only for advancing psycholinguistic theory but also for practical applications in education, communication, creative writing, and intercultural dialogue. Further exploration of contrast as a psycholinguistic category should focus on the creative deployment of contrast in literary language.
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