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This article focuses on three related theoretical problems: classification of expressive speech acts that till present remains a highly disputable issue of linguistic pragmatics, specificity of emotives as a type of expressives, and the patterns of emotives’ modifications in the current discourse space as it is represented in the literary text. The authors suggest a classification of expressive speech acts built at the intersection of the cognitive (semantic), communicative and semiotic planes that demonstrate distinctions between the classes of behavitives and emotives and between their sub-classes. It is further presumed that emotives, when used in discourse, get modified in accordance with regular patterns compatible with the cognitive operations of elaboration, extension, questioning, and combining described in different cognitive linguistic conceptions. This presumption is confirmed via analysis of positive emotives portrayed in the literary text which, besides the character’s speech proper, describes the other discourse aspects relevant for the illocutionary meaning of a speech act. The patterns of discourse modifications exhibited by positive emotives as a congeneric sub-class are considered to be relevant for the other sub-classes of emotives – negative, bi-polar and ambivalent.

This research, done from the standpoint of linguistic concept-study and cognitive theory of naming, discusses the problems of meaning and its manifestations relevant for these two fields. The general conceptual space, constituted by the meanings of verbal and verbal-pictorial memes about COVID-19 (the data in Ukrainian and Russian) is considered as a narrative-based concept and structured via application of a particular methodology, which helps to build an ontology of this concept with its inherent thematic segments that have different degrees of accentuation. Internet-memes about COVID-19 are analyzed with regard to their content (integrated into the thematic segments of the narrative-based concept), and with regard to their form. It is maintained that the cognitive techniques for creating the memes' meanings include elaboration, extension, questioning and combining. The semiotic techniques that create the meme as a sign split into direct and indirect. The latter employ the inner form of a sign, its outer form, and the combination of both. The topic of creating the meme as a sign is extended with the discussion of hyperbole, paradox and absurdity as "laughter-evoking" techniques integrated into the meme's content. In focus, is the KORONAVIRUS narrative-based concept as the target entity with its particular interpretation and its specific ways of manifestation. A satellite topic is the KORONAVIRUS concept as a source utilized in characteristics of other entities.

This special issue presents findings of the transnational research project “Crisis, Conflict and Critical Diplomacy: EU Perceptions in Ukraine, Israel and Palestine” (C3EU) (2015-2018) focusing on Ukraine-specific results [C3EU, online]. Supported by the Erasmus+ of European Commission, C3EU united experienced and early careers scholars into a research team of 36 who studied and facilitated best practice in EU perceptions research. The results of the project contributed to policy debates on EU global and regional governance and fostered academic-policy-makers' dialogues in Ukraine and the EU. Leading to this extensive outreach to the stakeholders, the C3EU research consortium had consolidated academic excellence by gathering linguistic and non-linguistic information, and producing comprehensive and methodologically rigorous analyses of EU perceptions and narratives in Ukraine and Israel/Palestine reflecting major societal challenges. The articles published in this special issue focused on perceptions and images exposed in narratives on the EU, Ukraine and EU—Ukraine relations are interdisciplinary. They combine methodologies of cognitive and communicative linguistics with the findings of communication and media studies, cultural studies, political science, international relations, and European integration studies.

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