THE NOMINATION OF SEASONINGS AND SPICRES IN THE EASTERN PODILIAN DIALECTS

Abstract

The article analyzes the lexical and semantic features of the nominations of seasonings and spices in the Eastern Podilian dialects of the Ukrainian language. The research material is based on the author’s own field recordings collected in the western districts of Cherkasy region, the eastern districts of Vinnytsia region, the northeastern districts of Odesa region, and the northwestern districts of Kirovohrad region during 2017–2023. The study focuses on identifying the semantic structure of lexemes denoting seasonings and spices, their functional activity, territorial distribution, and variability. Within the research framework, three main lexical-semantic groups are distinguished: nominations indicating the material basis of a seasoning; names with functional semantics; and analytical formations representing methods of culinary processing. The most frequently used lexemes (salt, pepper, mustard, poppy seed) are analyzed, and their origin, wordformative potential, and semantic nuances in dialectal speech are determined. Particular attention is paid to formal variation caused by phonetic and morphological features of the Eastern Podilian dialects, as well as by age-related and social factors. Productive nomination models are identified, including analytical word combinations such as ground poppy seed, pounded pepper, and fermented beetroot, which reflect technological stages of food preparation and represent the traditional culinary competence of dialect speakers. It is demonstrated that the vocabulary of seasonings and spices is closely connected with ritual culture, folk beliefs, and everyday practices of the region. The obtained results contribute to a deeper understanding of the lexical system of the Eastern Podilian dialects and may be used in further dialectological, lexicographic, and ethnolinguistic studies