Verbal Coding of the Sun in Riddles

Abstract

The paper aims at providing a comparative research of how the enigmatic spirit of riddles manifests itself when various conceptions serve to describe the Sun
in Ukrainian and English traditions. The three-component cosmonym coding analysis in riddles implies the decoding of the SUN image concerning its attributive, predicative, and nominative aspects. The explicit and/or implicit manifestations of the attributive and predicative characteristics are considered to constitute the core of the SUN concept in the consciousness of Ukrainian and English language speakers. In most Ukrainian and English riddles, the description of the SUN is most frequently based on the conceptions of its round shape, unreachable location, and the main function – to shine.