Anniversary or memorial: what is sad and what is joyful? A linguist explained the difference.

Nowadays, the words 'memorial' and 'anniversary' are often misused, with the belief that the former is only suitable for sad events and the latter for positive ones. However, linguist Olha Vasyliieva explained that this understanding does not conform to linguistic norms.

“Not long ago, there was only the word 'memorial' in the Ukrainian language,” emphasizes the linguist. “'Anniversary' is a borrowed word (pol. rocznica), which even Ivan Franko didn't use in his works,” she notes.

Correct usage of 'antiquity' and 'antiqueness'

Olha Vasyliieva pointed out another common linguistic clarification - the misunderstanding that 'antiqueness' is a Russian variant and that one should use 'antiquity'. In reality:

• “Antiquity” refers to ancient times or the long existence of something.
• “Antiqueness” is a significant period of time since an event.

“Let’s not confuse!” - urges the linguist, emphasizing the importance of using these words correctly for the purity and accuracy of the Ukrainian language.

Olha Vasyliieva's explanations help avoid common mistakes in using the words 'memorial' and 'anniversary', as well as 'antiquity' and 'antiqueness'. It is important to adhere to the proper lexical-semantic norm of the Ukrainian language for expressive and accurate communication.