The Boiko dialect of the village of Losynets as a microsystem of the south-western dialect group of the ukrainian language
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17721/um/56(2026).41-60Keywords:
dialectology, dialectal text, Boiko dialect, dialectal feature, linguistic geography.Abstract
Background. This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the Boiko dialect spoken in the village of Losynets, Sambir District, Lviv Region, as a representative of the south-western dialect of the Ukrainian language. It highlights the importance of studying individual dialects to clarify the boundaries of the dialect area, identify typical and sporadic linguistic phenomena, and provide a more detailed description of the linguistic landscape of dialect speakers.
Methods. The study of the dialect of the village of Losynets contributes to refining the dialectological map of the Boiko area, recording unique features at various linguistic levels, and preventing the loss of valuable dialectal material.
The aim is to provide a comprehensive description of the phonetic, morphological, syntactic and lexical features of the dialect and to determine its place on the dialectological map of the Boiko region.
The research methods included fieldwork, linguistic geography and descriptive approaches.
Results. At the phonetic level, the preservation of archaic features ([a] following soft consonants, the absence of palatalisation, and a slight manifestation of the ‘ukannya’ phenomenon) has been observed, as well as positional modifications in vowel and consonant sequences. The morphological level reflects standard and dialectal forms, as well as variation in inflections. At the syntactic level, the use of local conjunctions, specific government patterns, and the presence of dialectally marked constructions can be observed.
The lexical level of the dialect is characterised by a rich stock of idioms linked to the traditional culture and wedding customs of the Boikos.
Conclusions. The dialect of the village of Losynets is a coherent linguistic microsystem with typical features of Boiko dialects, whilst at the same time demonstrating variability and new trends under the influence of the literary language, particularly in the speech of the younger generation. The results of the study confirm the value of ‘focused’ studies for an in-depth description of Ukrainian dialects and emphasise the need for further documentation of local dialects as an important tool for preserving linguistic diversity and a valuable source for future dialectological generalisations.
About the author:
Nataliia Khibeba – PhD in Philology, Associate Professor in the Department of Ukrainian Applied Linguistics at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1098-3082
E-mail: nataliya.khibeba@lnu.edu.ua
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