Symbolic and Cultural Diplomacy of Taras Shevchenko: a Linguo-Pragmatic Perspective

Abstract

B a c k g r o u n d . This article examines the discursive potential of Taras
Shevchenko's texts in the context of the formation of symbolic and cultural
diplomacy in 19th-century Ukraine. Despite numerous historical, cultural, and
literary studies, Shevchenko's poetic and publicistic discourse is rarely considered
as a form of intercultural communication capable of representing national identity
in a broader European cultural space. The relevance of this study lies in the need to
interpret Shevchenko's textual corpus through contemporary approaches to
discourse analysis and pragmalinguistics, which view linguistic practices as
instruments for constructing political and cultural meanings. In this context, the
working concept of symbolic diplomacy is introduced. It is understood as a set of
linguistic and speech-based means – specifically, a system of discursive strategies
and tactics – through which linguistic and textual practices represent a cultural
community, forming its symbolic presence in the international communicative space.
M e t h o d s . The methodological framework of the study is based on an
integrated approach that combines tools of contemporary discourse analysis,
semiotic analysis, and elements of historical and contextual interpretation. Within
the framework of discourse analysis, the study examines rhetorical strategies of
address, imperative linguistic constructions, models of collective identification, and
symbolic topoi that structure the national narrative. The semiotic approach is
applied to identify cultural symbols and spatial markers that form the image of
Ukraine as a historical and moral community. Additionally, contextual analysis is
employed to relate linguistic strategies to the socio-political and cultural-historical
processes of 19th-century Europe.
R e s u l t s . The analysis shows that Shevchenko's discourse exhibits a clearly
articulated system of symbolic representation of the national community. The texts
under study contain recurring semiotic patterns – spatial topoi of the homeland,
historical allusions, and moral-value categories such as freedom, truth, and justice.
These elements form a coherent communicative structure in which the Ukrainian
community emerges as a historical subject. Rhetorical strategies of universalization
play a particularly important role, allowing local historical experience to be
presented in terms of universal moral categories. As a result, Shevchenko's
discourse transcends internal national communication and acquires the potential for
deeply symbolic transnational cultural messaging.
C o n c l u s i o n s . The discourse analysis confirms that Shevchenko's texts
function as a symbolic representation of the Ukrainian cultural community within a
broader European context. The combination of rhetorical strategies, historical
narratives, and semiotic symbols creates a communicative model in which poetic
discourse can be interpreted as a form of symbolic and cultural diplomacy. This
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approach allows Shevchenko's work to be understood not only as a literary
phenomenon but also as a system of linguistic practices that shape international
cultural communication and contribute to the symbolic representation of Ukrainian
identity on the global stage.
K e y w o r d s : diplomatic discourse, discourse analysis, symbolic representation,
linguistic strategies, transnational and cultural communication, semiotic markers,
historical narrative.