MODERN UKRAINIAN DRAMA: RAPPORT BETWEEN AUTOR AND READER (based on sociolinguistic survey)

Abstract

The article provides results of a sociolinguistic survey conducted among students in order to determine successful or unsuccessful encoding of information by author in paratext elements of modern Ukrainian plays. The research confirmed advanced hypothesis and proved that the majority of respondents expect shock and experiments from modern dramas. 250 respondents, who are students of Oles’ Honchar Dnipro National University Faculty of Ukrainian and Foreign Philology and Arts, aged 19 to 23, have completed a questionnaire. These were students of philological department, whose professional qualification requires knowledge of works of art, including dramas, selected as respondents since modern Ukrainian drama tends to be rather unpopular and readers are disinterested in reading plays. Analysis of the responses to the questionnaire showed that paratext elements shape future hypothetical communication between author and reader, as well as provide the later with a certain set of expectations from reading the drama text. Genre features of drama stipulate a rich ground for reader’s imagination, the range of which has diametrical limits and which determines recipient’s personality. Association experiment proved consistency of reader’s perception of author’s intentions.