History of The Ukrainian Language Department

Ukrainian Language Department was founded in 1933 when Kharkiv Pedagogical Institute was restored. There, at the Department of Linguistics, Ukrainian and Russian philological disciplines were taught. The first Head of the Department was an outstanding scientist, Academician Leonid Arseniiovych Bulakhovskyi.

Bulakhovskyi Leonid Arseniiovych [2.04 (14.04) 1888, Kharkiv – 4.04.1961, Kyiv] is a Ukrainian linguist, Academician of the Academy of Science of UkSSR since 1939, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Science of USSR since 1946 р. He graduated from Kharkiv University in 1910. He was a Professor of Kharkiv (1921-1942), Moscow (1943) and Kyiv (1944-1960) Universities. In 1944-1961, he was the Director of the Institute of Linguistics of the Academy of Science of UkSSR. In 1957-1961, he worked as the Head of the Ukrainian Committee of Slavists. He is the author of more than 400 publications on general linguistics, Slavic languages, the Ukrainian and Russian languages.

Before World War II, the Department united Professor O. N. Syniavskyi, who specialized in problematic issues of historical grammar and Ukrainian spelling and punctuation standards, the honouree of the USSR State Award P. Yo. Horetskyi, whose scientific interests were in lexicography, the founder of modern Ukrainian phonological school M. F. Nakonechnyi. In the 30s, future professor F. P. Medvedev and academician Yu. V. Sheveliov were studying at the Department as post-graduate students.

Medvedev Fedir Pylypovuch [15(28).05.1912, sloboda Semenivka, now a village in Kalachiivskyi district of Voronezh region, Russia – 28.08.1987, Kharkiv] is a Ukrainian linguist, Doctor of Philology since 1964, Professor since 1964. He graduated from Kharkiv University in 1936 and worked in Kharkiv higher educational establishments – All-Ukrainian Institute of Communist Education (1933-1935), Pedagogical Institute (1935-1941), Pedagogical Institute of foreign Languages (1946-1947), Kharkiv University (in 1947-1975, the Head of Ukrainian Language Department).

Sheveliov Yurii Volodymyrovych (17.12.1908 – 12.04.2002, Kharkiv) is a Ukrainian linguist and  literary scholar, Slavist in the USA, PhD since 1949, Professor since 1958, Full Member of All-Ukrainian Academy of Science since 1945, of Shevchenko Scientific Society since 1949, Academician of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine since 1990, an Honored Member of University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada, 1983), Lund University (Sweden, 1984) and Kharkiv University (1999). In 1931, he graduated from Kharkiv Institute of Professional Education; in 1939, he defended his candidate qualification thesis under L. A. Bulakhovskyi’s general supervision.  

One of the scholars who influenced the development of the Department was Associate Professor O. Ya .Petrenko. He was the Head of the Department in the after-war period and conducted general scientific supervision of post-graduate students, in particular, Doctor of Pedagogy Professor K. M. Plysko, Associate Professors V. P. Zabelina, N. I. Danylenko, and O. M. Pruhlo.

In the 50s, the Institute underwent numerous reforms, which resulted in only one associate professor left at the Department – N. Ya. Dniprovska. O. Ya .Petrenko’s scientific and pedagogical views greatly influenced and facilitated the professional development and growth of Lidiia Andriivna Lysyschenko’s talent. Her appearance at the Department marked the beginning of the new period in its history. 

Doctor of Philology, Professor L. A. Lysychenko was the Head of the Department in 1967–2003 and contributed to the formation of an efficient group of professional Ukrainian linguists. She invited to join the Department an Honored Worker of Science and Technological Progress of Ukraine, Doctor of Philology, Professor S. I. Doroshenko (1967), Doctors of Philology, Professors О. H. Muromtseva (1964) and S. V. Lomakovych (1995), Candidates of Philology, Professors А. P. Yareschenko, А. О. Svashenko, S. B. Stasevskyi.

The scope of L. A. Lysychenko’s scientific interests was very wide although it is semasiology that became the object of her research. Her monographic work “Modern Ukrаinian Lexicology” (1977) was the prominent and fresh view in Ukrainian linguistics and outlined a trend in science.

The publication of S. I. Doroshenko’s monographic work “Composite asyndetic constructions in Modern Ukrainian” (1980) became another remarkable event in the scientific life of Ukraine and guidelined one more direction of researches at the Department.    

After L. A. Lysychenko defended her Doctoral thesis (1979), the Department restarted post-graduate students’ preparation and gave the University a number of scholars – O. A. Oleksenko, P. O. Redin, L. S. Zahrebelna, I. V. Tymchenko, V. I. Bezditko, and others.

The third direction of scientific research of the Department is methodology of teaching Ukrainian. It was started and coordinated by Professor K. M. Plysko.

In the 70s-80s, the Department was the coordinating center for Pedagogical Universities of Poltava, Sumy and Zaporizhzha.  

The Department prepared qualified specialists for both the Faculty and other faculties of this University: О. А. Оleksenko / the Head of Ukrainian Language Department, І. V. Tymchenko / The Dean of H. F. Kvitka-Osnovianenko Ukrainian Philological Faculty (2003–2013), V. V. Skachkova / the Head of German Philology Department, І. M. Kamynin / the Head of English Philology Department, Ya. Yu. Sazonova / the Head of English Phonetics and Grammar Department (2002 – 2016), О. V. Hlotova / the Head of Practical English Oral and Written Speech Department (2002 – 2014), О. О. Malenko / the Head of Ukrainian Culture Studies and Lingual Didactics Department), and other educational establishments (V. P. Symonok / Yaroslav Mudryi Natinal Law University, А. P. Yareshchenko / Kharkiv Institute of Management, P. О. Redin / KhRI NAPA, І. Ye. Bohdanova / National University of Civil Defence of Ukraine, etc.

After Ukraine proclaimed independence, the Department started publishing a leading professional journal “Linguistic researches”, which was officially recognized by Higher Attestation Commission of Ukraine. It still retains its status: the decision of the Presidium of State Attestation Commission of Ukraine № 1-05/1 dated 10.02.2010 (reregistration: the decision of the Ministry of Education of Ukraine № 886 dated 02.07.2020) classified it as belonging to category "Б".

Six members of the Department are honored “Excellence in Public Education” award:   Lysychenko L. A., Plysko R. M., Stasevskyi S. B., Tymchenko I. V., Oleksenko O. A., Pomska A. A.

Candidate of Philology, Professor O. A. Oleksenko was the Head of the Department from July З, 2003 to September of 2020 and continued the traditions of the Department. Now, the Head of the Department is Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor N. V. Shcherbakova.

The stuff of the Department consisted of outstanding scholars – doctors of science S. I. Doroshenko, L. A. Lysyschenko, T. A. Kosmeda, O. H. Muromtseva, K. M. Plysko, A. I. Danylenko, O. O. Malenko, experienced lecturers – candidates of science S. B. Stasevskyi, I. V. Tymchenko, V. I. Bezditko, T. V. Beliaeva, S. V. Vakulenko, O. A. Malakhova, high class professionals N. O. Alekseeva, A. A. Promska, L. V. Pentsova, N. G. Tovstokora.

The current scientific scope of the Department includes studying lexical, phraseological and grammatical semantics. The new generation of scientists, doctors of science K. Yu. Holoborodko, Professor O. A. Oleksenko, candidates of science, associate professors Yu. M. Lebedenko, T. F. Osypova, I. A. Pavlova, N. V. Piddubna, Yu. O. Tymchenko, O. V. Khaliman, N. V. Shcherbakova support and develop the powerful scientific and professional potential of the Department.

For many years, the senior laboratory assistants and engineers T. I. Tymofeeva, O. V. Kalashnyk, T. M. Klimova have provided the non-stop work of the Department and contributed to its success.

The stuff of the Department is the team able to solve any task of educational-methodological or scientific nature. It relies on the unity of talent, experience, youth ardency and commitment to the prosperity and flourishing of Ukraine.