O dydaktycznojęzykowych inspiracjach w tekście "Cudaczek-Wyśmiewaczek" Julii Duszyńskiej (komunikat)

This article presents educational and aesthetic values of Julia Duszynska’s fantasy short story Cudaczek-Wyśmiewaczek (first published in 1947), which nowadays is included on reading lists less and less frequently. The author of this study focuses on the language o f the story, which can sensitise young readers to the meaning of the words and expressions describing character features. It can also arouse their interest in the word-formation processes and inspire them to linguistic creativity. The author of this article shows the possibility of developing children’s linguistic competence through talks about anthroponyms in the story, discovering the mechanisms of creating emotive names denoting character features such as: Złośnicki (Shrew), Obrażalska (Huffish), Krzywinosek (Crooked-Nose), “word plays” (students create humorous neologisms referring to situations, e.g. Nieuczesalska, Rozczochralska, Grzebojalska.— ‘a girl who does not like combing her hair’, Nieporządnicki, Nieposprzątalski, Bylejaczek - ‘a boy who is messy / does not keep things in order’), explaining the meaning of expressions (e.g. czytać w czyichś oczach - read in one’s eyes). Furthermore, the author suggests that teachers design various activities (e.g. role plays, intersemiotic translations) based on the story. These activities should be aimed at developing the linguistic competence of the students, as well as the correct use of the language (e.g. responsibility for the use of evaluative expressions and the appropriateness of behaviours towards the listener)