The lexeme ‘cat’ in the Ukrainian-Bulgarian linguistic space

Abstract

The article offers a comparative analysis of the lexeme cat in the Ukrainian and Bulgarian linguistic space based on data from literary languages and territorial dialects. The study draws on Ukrainian and Bulgarian dialect dictionaries, dialectal texts, as well as folklore and ethnolinguistic sources, which enables a comprehensive description of the nominative, areal, and linguocultural features of the domestic cat. The research demonstrates that the Ukrainian dialect continuum shows a high degree of lexical variation in naming the cat, resulting from phonetic, word-formational, and regional factors. Numerous diminutive and expressive forms are attested, reflecting emotional and evaluative attitudes toward the animal. The most frequent dialectal denominations are kishka, kitka, kytska, kytsia, mytsia, and mytska, alongside a wide range of regionally marked variants. These units function not only as nominative means but also as carriers of cultural meanings, associated with traditional beliefs, folk omens, prohibitions, and mythological representations. A comparative perspective reveals the coexistence of two archaic word-forming bases, kot-and mač-, which are productive in both Ukrainian and Bulgarian dialects. In Bulgarian, including the speech of Bulgarian communities in southern Ukraine, the lexeme kotka is dominant; however, forms derived from mač-remain active, demonstrating historical continuity and shared Slavic linguistic heritage. Special attention is paid to phraseological units and fixed expressions, where the lexeme cat conveys symbolic and evaluative meanings related to interpersonal relations, character traits, and life situations. The study concludes that the lexeme cat represents a multifunctional and culturally marked element of the Ukrainian and Bulgarian lexical systems, integrating nominative, emotive-evaluative, and linguocultural dimensions.