“Illuminate” or “show”: remember when and how to use these words correctly

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Ukrainians often use certain words and do not even think about their correct use and meaning. Such words include “highlight” and “show”, which are often used incorrectly.

In the literary Ukrainian language, “highlight” is used figuratively – to show, reveal, explain, to talk about something.

For example: “to highlight a question (problem)”, “She often found new material in magazines, read scientific reports that shed new light on this or that issue in science or literature”, ” But those present wanted in vain to find out what issues the article would cover” (Donchenko), “The works of I. Karpenko-Kary on historical topics truthfully highlighted the heroic history of the Ukrainian people”.

In some cases, the word “cover” can be used not figuratively, but in the literal sense: “by shining or directing light somewhere, to make something visible”, “At that moment, an oncoming “Opel” approached the scene of the incident and, without slowing down, stopped, shining brightly with its headlights” (Ivan Le).< /p>

The same meaning has the same meaning as “illuminate” with the nuance of “illuminate, grabbing something from the darkness”: “Each time, spotlight strips illuminated the face of Polina, who was sitting cross-legged in an open armchair leaning against the desk” (V. Short).

But it is a mistake to use the word “illuminate” (illumination) in the sense of “show”, “reveal”, “tell about something” instead of “illuminate” (illumination). For example: “In the light of the speaker, the question took on a different character.”