DARSTELLUNG DES KRIEGES IN ESSAYS VON KATERYNA MISHCHENKO: EINE LINGUISTISCHE ANALYSE

Abstract

This article examines the linguistic representation of the war in Ukraine in two essays by the Ukrainian author KaterynaMishchenko, “Nebeneinander” (2025) and “Spiegel der Seele” (2023), which have been translated into German. Researchinto the portrayal of war in various media is of great social relevance and academic topicality. At the heart of the study liesthe question of how different linguistic devices are employed to vividly and emotionally reflect the experience of Russia’scurrent, technologically driven and, at the same time, existential war of annihilation against Ukraine. Methodologically,the study is grounded in approaches from literary studies and linguistics that examine the representation of war and violencein modern literature and journalism. It employs an integrative methodological approach that combines narratologicalanalysis with linguistic methods such as critical discourse analysis, cognitive metaphor theory and cognitive metonymytheory. The academic research focuses on three key questions: 1) How is war represented linguistically and narratively?2) What role do metaphors, metonymies, comparisons and epithets play? 3) Does Mishchenko employ new forms of warrepresentation? Following a brief overview of the theoretical foundations, the essays are analysed and interpreted. Theanalysis shows that the author portrays the war not as a linear event, but as a fragmented, simultaneous reality that unfoldsbetween everyday life and a state of emergency. Particular attention is paid to the role of language, metaphors, menonymy, comparisons, etc. The article argues that Mishchenko’s texts establish a new form of war representation that combinestestimony, reflection and poetic condensation. The article opens up perspectives for comparative studies on mediality inUkrainian and European literature.