About presenting dominant linguistic culturemes on the topic “Сulture and mentality of the Ukrainian people” in groups of foreign non-linguistic students.

Abstract

The article provides practical recommendations regarding important aspects necessary to be observed while creating methodical guidelines and providing practical classes on the topic of “Culture and mentality of the Ukrainian people” in groups of foreign non-linguistic students.

Complexity and ambiguity of the subject require particular caution and tolerance when dealing with specific national features of a certain nation. There are certain difficulties in singling out dominant traits pertaining to linguistic and cultural paradigms of a community, as well as features that distinguish it from other nations. There should not be any hasty conclusion regarding the mentality of any nation. The article reviews the structure and content of linguistic and culturological commentaries regarding dominant Ukrainian cultural concepts that accumulate centuries-long verbalized national experience and knowledge of which enables foreign students to have a better understanding of the mental world of the Ukrainian people. The authors analyze those methods of presentation and interpretation of Ukrainian cultural concepts that they consider the most significant for objective description of the Ukrainian mentality. They propose a concept of lesson composition and various kinds of exercises for the above topic. Attracting foreign students to a new world of connotative meanings of the dominant nationally marked vocabulary and related feelings and assessments can animate the educational process and provide a strong emotional urge for thinking, reflection and a deeper desire to learn the specifics of the Ukrainian linguo-mental outlook.