LANGUAGE AS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF FORMING THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL IDEA

The article deals with the problem of language as an essential component of forming a Ukrainian national idea. The aim of the article is introducing the language factor (concerning the state Ukrainian language) as an element of a Ukrainian national idea and an important ethnic constituent forming a Ukrainian national state. The Ukrainian national idea is treated as the formation and creation of the Ukrainian united independent national state, which is based on the Ukrainian national values and first of all the Ukrainian language as a state language which should be dominant in all spheres of social life all over the area of Ukraine (Article 10 of the Constitution of Ukraine and the commentary of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine). It is stated that language is a powerful instrument of symbolic dominance in the society and that in Europe the distinguishing feature of the national identity and state system is the national language. The encyclopaedia of public administration treats a national idea as the recognition of a certain ethnic groups to constitute a single whole that understands their inner relationship, their historical character, their traditions, their destiny and role. The Ukrainian language as a consolidating factor was the subject of study in the works of Ukrainian writers and poets, notable linguists and politicians of the present day. The author of the article stresses that one of the most important factors of forming a Ukrainian national idea is the Ukrainian language which determines ethnic self-consciousness and should become its essential component. The problem of forming a Ukrainian national idea has been studied by such Ukrainian linguists as Azhniuk B., Bondar O., Masenko L., Ohiienko I., Potebnia O. and others. But today we do not have a developed Ukrainian national idea, so there is a need to conduct theoretical scientific research which would provide a basis for forming a Ukrainian national idea, and then it is necessary to develop a national Ukrainian project.