The article analyzes nine famous electronic lexicographic works of various types, the complete sources of normalized and standardized Ukrainian vocabulary. The subject of the research is the implementation of changes in electronic dictionaries following the current Ukrainian spelling, which changed in 2019. The work aims to identify trends in compliance with orthographic norms. The research results will become the basis for improving electronic dictionaries regarding orthographic and grammatical lexicographic parameters so that users can receive reliable information about the spelling of lexical items, contributing to the approval of linguistic culture. Although electronic dictionaries, due to their mobility, can quickly eliminate outdated forms and consistently establish new orthographic norms, they still need to be taken for analysis. The electronic dictionary still needs to implement the innovation of the current Ukrainian spelling completely. The results of the study confirmed that only a few electronic dictionaries - "Slovnyk.ua", "SUO", "Horokh" - adhere to the norms of modern Ukrainian spelling, for the most part, studied criteria. However, normative innovations were not observed in almost all of the studied sources. It was established that ignoring the prescriptions of modern Ukrainian spelling needs immediate correction. Electronic dictionary, spelling norm, Ukrainian spelling 2019, non-alternative norm, version COLINS-2023: 7th International Conference on Computational Linguistics and Intelligent Systems, April 20-21, 2023, Kharkiv, Ukraine ORCID: 0000-0002-8924-7274 (Z. Kunch); 0000-0002-8549-5123 (O. Lytvyn); 0000-0001-7939-0010 (I. Mentynska)
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In the current civilizational conditions, electronic vocabulary is one of the most popular services served by all categories of users (both students, students, and adult Avilletoria - specialists of different specialties). Convenience in use, the ability to quickly find specific words or small phrases, in addition to taking into account morphological forms and the ability to find examples of use, sometimes with the option of changing the direction of translation (for example, Ukrainian-English or English-Ukrainian). Paper editions usually provide a narrower range of services and need more processing time. However, ordinary users often trust traditional book editions because they believe they can withstand numerous pre-emptive training; authors, editors, and correctors work on them. Mistakes or underwear in such lexicographic works are usually minimized. Electronic dictionaries, however, have another significant advantage - the ability to respond quickly to changes that the language system undergoes in evolution. One of these changes is the spelling reform introduced in modern Ukrainian.
The national language's functionality is based on a single orthographic code that includes current spelling. Respectively, speakers in daily speech communication adhere to recognized and codified lexicographic sources of rules. Strict spelling unites the verbal tradition and promotes literacy and the domestic and national community. The Ukrainian National Spelling Commission approved changes to the current spelling (Minutes No. 5 of October 22, 2018), which was approved by the joint decision of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Protocol No. 22/10 of October 24,
2023 Copyright for this paper by its authors.
2018) and the Board of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine
(Protocol No. 10/4-13 of October 24, 2018). These changes were approved and implemented by the
Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (Resolution No. 437 of May 22, 2019). Changes in socio-political
character in Ukraine, the awakening of national-linguistic consciousness of Ukrainian society, raising
the cultural level of the population, other, as well as, first of all, the deployment of intra-language
processes aimed at strengthening autochthonous variants and preservation of self-formation, became
the main linguistic and extra-linguistic factors of such innovations in Ukraine, the awakening [
So there are changes in Ukrainian spelling for the fourth consecutive year in Ukraine. The new spelling standard includes all linguistic space areas, so electronic lexicographic sources, being able to respond promptly to normative innovations, should reflect these changes and adequately orient users to spell on lexical units.
The lexicographic works of various types consider the complete sources of normalized and presented vocabulary. Therefore, dictionaries become the codifiers of the proper spelling of words. It is evident that if dictionaries occur outdated forms, errors, or spelling failures, they disorient the native speakers and reduce the literacy of the population. Thanks to their mobility, electronic dictionaries can quickly eliminate outdated options and consistently assert new orthographic standards. It is also important to emphasize that online dictionaries, being a universal source of scientific, historical, and cultural information, play a significant role in implementing and disseminating linguistic norms and raising the language culture of the nation. Therefore, the problem of adherence to spelling changes in modern electronic dictionaries is of considerable scientific interest and determines the relevance of the proposed topic.
The object of research is popular Ukrainian online dictionaries. The subject of the study is the introduction of electronic vocabulary changes following the current spelling of 2019.
The study aims to identify trends in compliance with orthographic standards based on an analysis of electronic lexicographic works. Achieving this goal involves the implementation of the following tasks: ● to create a sample of orthographic standards that have changed following the spelling of 2019; ● choose the most popular electronic lexicographic works for analysis; ● to analyze each lexicographic source for compliance with specific spelling norms; ● identify variable forms that are recorded by electronic dictionaries; ● to analyze the spelling changes recorded in modern online dances; ● identify trends in compliance with orthographic standards in the source base; ● the source base of the study is famous electronic lexicographic works.
The research methodology is based on several sequential steps using general scientific research methods.
The first step involves the creation of a sample of spelling norms that have changed following the spelling of 2019. They are laid on non-alternative and variable.
The second step is to choose the most popular electronic lexicographic works for analysis. First, the criteria of volume, authoritativeness, and popularity are considered.
The third step is a comprehensive linguistic and statistical processing of electronic lexicographic sources for compliance with the 2019 spelling requirements. The study used the following methods: structural and system analysis made it possible to explore the most popular online dictionaries and electronic complexes for presenting lexicographic parameters. Descriptive-analytical and comparable methods are used to summarize the observation of the analyzed lexicographic material. Empirical research methods - observation, comparison, and monitoring of lexicographic sources - were used to describe the studied data and their systematization; The extrapolation method summarizes information and disseminates the conclusions obtained from observation.
The fourth step is to systematize the typical tendencies found in the analyzed source base regarding the presence of typical errors, the display of the variation of the proposed models' use, and the regular changes approved by the latest edition of Ukrainian spelling. The conclusions, formulation, and recommendations affirm the current spelling of 2019.
Schematically, the research methodology is reflected in Fig. 1.
The study is practical - the results can be used to improve electronic dictionaries on orthographic and grammatical lexicographic parameters so that users can receive reliable information on the spelling of lexical units following the changes in the current Ukrainian spelling.
In the Ukrainian literary language, stable language norms have been developed, setting the most
typical and characteristic linguistic use. Normalizing literary language implies the presence of clear,
mandatory writing rules and using words, creation, and use of grammatical forms, among others.
Research [
An interesting way to analyze the spelling processes in Ukraine is the experience of Hungarian
linguists. The article [
With the proclamation of independence of Ukraine, the need to return to the spelling standards of
the Ukrainian literary language was destroyed in 1933, so the spelling commission worked on making
appropriate recommendations. The authors of this linguistic law point out that they preserved "the
approach to language as a sign system and social phenomenon from the standpoint of the historical and
ethnographic cathedral of the Ukrainian language and the Ukrainian nation" [7, p. 1]. The Ukrainian
spelling introduced in 2019 makes it possible to get rid of artificially thrown spelling and grammatical
norms partially. However, there is still a debate in the scientific literature on the expediency of making
personal changes. Thus, researchers K. Bondarchuk and O. Chumachenko formulate the author's
critical remarks about the clarity and accuracy of specific formulations of spelling norms in Ukrainian
spelling 2019 [
The next step towards spelling reform is to monitor the introduction of appropriate changes in
lexicographic sources, especially in terminological dictionaries that record scientific terms, their
definition, and grammatical and orthographic parameters. Terminologists pay particular attention to
compliance with national standards when creating technical terms, discussing the consequences for
practical issues of terminology processing [
Based on the processing of changes made to the Ukrainian spelling of 2019, those that significantly affect the writing of words or the creation of certain grammatical forms. Twelve criteria were selected for the study. Among them, we distinguish non-alternative - 8 criteria and version - 4 criteria, as in Table 1.
separate (и́кати [ý katy]).
Writing complex words together with the first foreign language component анти-, контр-, віце-, веб-, екс-, лейб-, обер-, топ-, штабс-, унтер- [anty-, kontr-, vitse-, veb-, eks-, leib-, ober-, top-, shtabs-, unter-].
version criteria 1v. In borrowings from the ancient Greek language, letter combinations au orthographic variants ау [au] і ав [av] are allowed: аудито́рія [audytó riia] and авдито́рія [avdytó riia]. 2v. The letter combination th in words of ancient Greek origin is usually given by the letter т. In words used in the Ukrainian language with ф, orthographic variants are allowed, for example: ка́федра [ká fedra] і катед́ра [katé dra]. 3v. Nouns with -ть after a consonant, as well as words кров [krov], любов́ [liubó v], о́сінь [ó sin], сіль [sil], Русь [Rus] in the genitive singular can acquire an ending -и or -і: любо́ви [liubó vy] and любові [liubovi]. 4n. 5n. 6n. 7n. 8n.
non-alternative criteria
to the pronunciation of a foreign word with the letter й, and in the composition of sound combinations [je], [ji], [ju], [ja] by letters є, ї, ю, я (проєкт [proiect]).
священник [sviashchennyk].
other languages ck with ukrainian letter к: Діќенс [Dí kens].
Writing website names without a generic word with a lowercase letter (тві́тер [twitter]), ґуґл [google]); with a generic word - with a capital letter and in quotes (мережа «Фейсбуќ» [merezha «Feisbú k»]); used as names legal entities - with a capital letter and without quotation marks (санкції проти Яндекса [sanktsii proty Yandeksa]).
дво-[dvo-]; три-[try-]; чотири[chotyry-]: двоактний [dvoaktnyi].
version criteria The names of settlements: Амстерда́ м [Amsterdá m], Го́ мель [Hó mel], Ліверпу́ ль [Liverpú l], Ло́ ндон [Ló ndon], Мадри́ д [Madrý d], Пари́ ж [Parý zh], Чорно́ биль [Chornó byl] have a version ending in the genitive singular -у/-ю і -а/-я: Парижа [Paryzha] and Парижу [Paryzhu].
The electronic dictionaries presented in Table 2 were selected for the study. The main reasons for choosing an online source for analysis were its authority and popularity among users reflected in the number of visits, as well as the volume of cover material, which is reflected, first of all, in the number of registered words and in the range of services that can be obtained thanks to this dictionary.
set of dictionaries electronic
set of dictionaries dictionary electronic
set of dictionaries orthographic
20 K 6.200
Following the research criteria, we present an analysis of the study's spelling changes in each electronic dictionary.
We observe that "Slovnyk.ua" [
The electronic edition of "Slovnyky Ukrainian online" (SUO) [
We note the observance of the following non-alternative criteria: spelling je: проєктний [proiektnyi], проєктантка [proiektantka]; use и at the beginning of the word: ич [ych], ирод [yrod] (only in one embodiment), иродів [yrodiv]; the spelling of complex words with foreign language components: мінідержава [miniderzhava], мінідискусія [minidyskusiia], вебчат [vebchat]; Complex words in the form of дво- [dvo-], три- [try-], чотири- [chotyry-]: двоопуклий [dvoopuklyi]; Double consonants: священників [sviashchennykiv], свяще́ нницький [sviashchénnytskyi]. We do not see the spelling of words with the numerator of the пів [piv] since the dictionary does not present phrases like пів острова [piv ostrova], пів Європи [piv Europy], but the words півбак [pivbak], півбаркас [pivbarkas], півбог [pivboh] is written correctly. However, unfortunately, the spelling of the token of ютубу [youtube], інстаграму [instagram], вайберу [viber] (7n criteria) is not reflected.
The imperfect dictionary variants: a) only the form of Парижу [Paryzhu], Лондону [Londonu] in the genital singular case, although Spelling norms-2019 presents variant forms of Парижу [Paryzhu] / Парижа [Paryzha], Лондону [Londonu] / Лондона [Londona]; b) nouns of the III cancellations with variant endings -и and -і (3v criteria ) can be traced only in some words of любові [liubovi] / любови [liubovy], Білорусі [Bilorisi] / Білоруси [Bilorusy], but not parallel forms have been recorded: радости [radosty]; соли [soly], кількости [kilkosty]. Separate vocabulary articles, such as the tokens of авдиторія [avdytoria] та аудиторія [audytoria]; катедра [katedra] та кафедра [kafedra] have recorded other variant writings.
Schematic compliance with spelling changes in this source is reflected in Fig. 5.
"Glosbe" [
Non-alternative changes in the vocabulary were partially recorded: spelling je: only in the word проєкт [proiekt], and in the derivatives left е: проекція [proektsiia], проекційна матриця [proektsiina matrytsia], проектування програмного забезпечення [proektuvannia prohramnoho zabezpechennia]; Use and at the beginning of the word: икавка [ykavka] is recorded, but not mentioned the exclamation ич, and other words are not mentioned; Complex county words are displayed in series: двоопуклий [dvoopuklyi]; the doubling of the consonants (священник [sviashchennyk]) is also recorded. We note that the 3n criteria is not fully observed: the spelling of complex nouns is presented through a hyphen: топ-менеджер [top-menedzher], міні-драйвер [mini-draiver], міні-перекладач [mini-perekladach], веб-папки [veb-papky]; Also, the criteria of 1n is not taken into account: writing words from пів [piv] (піввіку [pivroku]) does not meet the norm of current Spelling-2019. Since the vocabulary is translated, the translation must be accurate, including spelling proper names. However, the 6n criteria for writing the letter of ck is not observed: Діккенс [Dikkens]. The dictionary completely ignores the variant criteria we analyzed: it does not propose an авдиторія [avdytoriia] / аудиторія [ audytoriia] (1v criteria); Neither the ефір [efir] / етер [eter] (2v criteria), neither любо́ ви [liubó vy] і любові [liubovi] (3v criteria ) nor з Парижу [z Paryzhu] / з Парижа [z Paryzha] (4v criteria).
Schematic compliance with spelling changes in this source is reflected in Fig. 7.
"Horokh" [
The "Word Change" section displays the words of the Ukrainian language according to their standard spelling. The section presents 6.3 million word forms for about 441,000 dictionary entries. On this electronic platform, the norms are observed according to almost all non-alternative criteria, and comments were also submitted with a call for sections in the current Spelling-2019: spelling -je: законопроєкт [zakonoproiekt]; sound [j] in foreign words: плеєр [pleier]; indeclinable numeral пів [piv] with the meaning "half" with the following noun: пів міста [piv mista], пів Європи [piv Yevropy], пів Києва [piv Kyieva], пів України [piv Ukrainy]; the spelling of complex nouns: вебсторінка [vebstorinka], віцеадмірал [vitseadmiral], топмодель [topmodel], тоннокілометр [tonnokilometr], людинодень [liudynoden]; the spelling of compound words with a negative number: двоопорний [dvoopornyi]; doubling of consonants: священник [sviashchennyk]; site names in the genitive case are given according to the norms of current spelling: ютубу [yutubu], інстаграму [instahramu]. However, we should note that the use of и at the beginning of the word is given in the variants ірод [irod] / ирод [yrod].
Variant spelling norms are partially reflected in the dictionary: the ending -і/-и in the genitive singular of незалежності [nezalezhnosti] / незалежности [nezalezhnosty], радості [radosti] / радости [radosty]; letter combination au, ou to indicate sound combinations [au], [ou]: авдиторія [avdytoriia] / аудиторія [audytoriia]; the letter combination th in words of ancient Greek origin катедра [katedra] / кафедра [kafedra] are recorded. Moreover, the names of the cities Лондон [London], Париж [Paryzh], Ліверпуль [Liverpul] in the genitive case are given with the inflection -а/-я, as it was in the previous version of the spelling. Note that in the "Word change" section, the form of the patronymic Ігорьович [Igorʹovich] is according to the current Spelling of 2019.
Schematically, compliance with spelling changes in this source is shown in Fig. 9.
"Slovopedia" [
Analyzing the dictionary articles for compliance with non-alternative spelling norms, we discovered the following features: ● The use of и at the beginning of the word only in words of foreign origin, which does not correspond to the modern norm; ● The correct spelling of the lexemes проєкт [proiekt], проєкція [proiektsiia] only in the dictionary of S. Karavanskyi; ● Complex declination words (двоопорний [dvoopornyi]) and doubling of consonants (священник [sviashchennyk]) are recorded following the norm; ● Regarding the spelling of compound nouns: тоннокілометр [tonnokilometr], мініавтомобіль [miniavtomobil], we note the absence of these tokens; ● The spelling of words with the numeral пів is codified according to Spelling-2008: піввідра [pivvidra].
Regarding variant criteria, the authors do not provide variant endings -і/-и in the genitive singular of радості [radosti ] / радости [radosty], любові [liubovi] / любови [liubovy]; do not fix the variants au, ou. However, the dictionary records the letter combination th in words of ancient Greek origin катедра [katedra] / кафедра [kafedra].
Schematically, compliance with spelling changes in this source is shown in Fig. 11.
"Akademichnyy tlumachnyy slovnyk (ATS) 1970-1980" [
Almost all modern Ukrainian explanatory dictionaries are based on it, notably the updated "Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language" in 20 volumes. Apparently, out of a desire to preserve the original wording, no-alternative criteria are not reflected in the dictionary: ● There is not used even и at the beginning of a word. ● The dictionary does not record the lexeme проєкт [proiekt], проєкція [proiektsiia]. ● Words with пів [piv] are written with a hyphen: пів-обличчя [piv-oblychchia]. However, it is noted that this spelling is outdated. Interestingly, the dictionary records the numeral word двоопуклий [dvoopuklyi] in the Spelling edition of 2019, as well as the parallel use of кафедра [kafedra] / катедра [katedra]. These facts confirm the correctness of the changes introduced during the Spelling reform. Even in the 70s and 80s of the last century, such variants functioned, despite the spelling restrictions.
Schematically, compliance with spelling changes in this source is shown in Fig. 13.
"Slovnyky ukrayinsʹkoyi movy online (SUMO)" [
Mandatory changes in accordance with the non-alternative criteria are partially recorded in the dictionary: the spelling of words with пів [piv] (півмісяця [pivmisiatsia]) does not meet the standard of the current Spelling-2019 (1n criteria); 4n criteria is also not met - the form with е: remains: проект [proekt]; the use of и at the beginning of a word (2n criteria) is given only in words of foreign origin; the spelling of compound nouns according to 3n criteria is not given according to the current norm: віце-спікерство [vitse-spikerstvo], міні-держава [mini-derzhava], there is no doubling of consonants in the word священик [sviashchenyk]. Only 8n criteria is met: двоокис [dvookys], двооксид [dvooksyd]. From the variant norms, 2v criteria was observed regarding the words кафедра [kafedra] і катедра [katedra]. Schematically, compliance with spelling changes in this source is shown in Fig. 15.
Out of 20 volumes, only 13 volumes have been digitized to date.
We confirm compliance with the following non-alternative criteria: the use of и at the beginning of a word: ич [ych], ирій [yrii], икавка [ykavka] (almost all lexemes recommended in Spelling-2019 are fixed); the spelling of words with the numeral пів [piv]: за пів години [za piv hodyny], за пів дня [za piv dnia]; the spelling of compound words: двоокий [dvookyi], двоосьовий [dvoosovyi].
However, the spelling of complex words with foreign language components is fixed with a hyphen, which does not correspond to the norm of the current spelling: міні-футбол [mini-futbol], веб-ресурс [veb-resurs]. We note in the dictionary variant forms авдиторія [avdytoriia] та аудиторія [audytoriia]; катедра [katedra] та кафедра [kafedra]. However, no parallel forms of любови [liubovy] and кількости [kilkosty] have been recorded as there were given only forms of любові [liubovi], кількості [kilkosti]. Since the dictionary is incomplete, proper names are not codified in it, so we cannot check the spelling according to several criteria.
Schematically, compliance with spelling changes in this source is shown in Fig. 17.
"Orfohrafichnyy slovnyk ukrayinsʹkoyi movy (OSUM)" [
Mandatory changes in the dictionary are recorded: the use of и at the beginning of the word: ирод [yrod], ирій [yrii] is given in the dictionary with an explanation of the meaning and examples from the literature. Complex numeral words (двоосновний [dvoosnovnyi]), the spelling of complex nouns (вебсторінка [vebstorinka], тоннокілометр [tonnokilometr], віцеадмірал [vitseadmiral]), the spelling of je (проєкт [proiekt], проєкція [proiektsiia]) is written according to the standard of current spelling. The spelling of words with пів [piv] does not correspond to the current norm, a піваркуша [pivarkusha], півкола [pivkola] is recorded; doubling of consonants in the lexeme священик [sviashchenyk] is not recorded, that is, 1n and 5n criteria are ignored. The authors present alternative changes: the letter combination au, ou to indicate the sound combinations [au], [ou]: авдиторія [avdytoriia] / аудиторія [audytoriia]; letter combination th in words of ancient Greek origin: катедра [katedra] / кафедра [kafedra]. However, the dictionary does not record the variant endings -і/-и in the genitive singular: радості [radosti] / радости [radosty], любові [liubovi] / любови [liubovy].
Schematically, compliance with spelling changes in this source is shown in Fig. 19.
The analysis of electronic lexicographical works makes it possible to state that these publications fulfill the relevant task in the current conditions - to introduce modern means of automation to the process of lexicography. In general, research sources meet the following criteria: access to language units in electronic form, which contributes to the constant enrichment of electronic dictionary resources, the ability to make corrections, and improve the lexicographic description of registry words; active use of concepts of traditional lexicons; сharacterization of lexemes taking into account their function and usage in the modern Ukrainian language.
As for compliance with spelling norms according to the criteria chosen for the study, the dictionaries included in the analysis show considerable heterogeneity. Based on the analysis of the most popular electronic lexicographic works, which became the sources of this study, we trace the following pattern of codification or lack of codification of orthographic norms following the current spelling of 2019, which is reflected in Table 3.
4
9
OSUM +– – – – + – – + – + – –
6 ATS 19701980 – – – – – – – + – + – – – – – – – – – + – + – – + + – + – – – + + + – – – + + + – – – + + + – – 1n. 2n. 3n. 4n. 5n. 6n. 7n. 8n. 1v. 2v. 3v. 4v.
+ + + + + + + + + + – + – + + + + + – + + + +– +– + +– – +– + – – + – – – – + + + + + + – + + + + –
As our research demonstrates, none of the electronic dictionaries taken for analysis has fully introduced the innovation of the current Ukrainian spelling. Several electronic dictionaries – "Slovnyk.ua", "SUO", "Horokh" – adhere to the norms of modern Ukrainian spelling according to most of the studied criteria. However, many regulatory innovations were not observed in almost all the studied sources, in particular, according to criteria 4v (version ending in the genitive singular -у/-ю і -а/-я: Парижа [Paryzha] і Парижу [Paryzhu]), 7n (writing website names тві́тер (twitter), мережа «Фейсбу́ к» [merezha «Feisbú k»]), 6n (reproduction of loanwords from English, German, Swedish and some other languages ck with ukrainian letter к: Ді́кенс [Dí kens]). This may be due to the low frequency of the corresponding lexemes. However, we state that ignoring the prescriptions of modern Ukrainian spelling requires immediate correction.
It is expedient to draw the attention of the authors of electronic dictionaries to the fact that they adequately and competently reproduce the spelling of tokens entered into their composition. Separately, we focus on the Academic Explanatory Dictionary (1970–1980), noting that it preserves the old spelling version. We believe it would be correct to display in this dictionary also the spelling following the current norms, which would contribute to the elevation of the linguistic culture of the users.