SOURCES OF ORIGIN OF EPTONYMS (BASED ON UKRAINIAN-LANGUAGE MEDIA DISCOURSE)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of eponyms as unique linguistic units formed on the basis of names or sayings of well-known individuals and actively used in contemporary Ukrainian media discourse. The authors emphasize their ability to capture cultural, historical, and social aspects while simultaneously adapting to current societal processes. Mass media are considered a key space for the creation, development, and popularization of eponyms, since they promptly expand vocabulary and phraseological stock in response to events in political, cultural, military, and other spheres. The study examines various scholarly approaches to the concept of “discourse,” identifies its features in the media context, and outlines its role in shaping linguistic norms and established usage. The research provides a detailed analysis of the main sources of eponyms in modern Ukrainian-language mass media—biblical eponyms, literary eponyms, winged expressions of wartime, and sayings of historical figures. Eponyms in the media space perform nominative, evaluative, symbolic, and ironic functions, becoming an effective tool of influence on public consciousness. The conclusions state that these linguistic units are an important element of language dynamics, allowing the combination of cultural heritage with contemporary realities and reflecting processes of social change in the media space.