The article highlights I. Franko’s contribution to the history of formation and development of Ukrainian linguistics, the linguistic heritage of the great scientist-encyclopedist, artist of the artistic word Ivan Franko against the background of the historical process of establishing language norms are analyzed. Emphasis is placed on his struggle for the formation, development and normalization of the Ukrainian language, in particular its vocabulary, phraseology and for the establishment of the phonetic principle of Ukrainian spelling. The works of the scientist devoted to the consideration of language as a national identity, as an element of artistic creativity, as well as individual components of its structure are analyzed. The researcher emphasizes the study of dialects and lexical norms of the Ukrainian language, children’s speech, issues of general linguistics, etc. Ivan Franko’s personal contribution to the history of Ukrainian linguistic science is determined. In the modern world, Ivan Franko deservedly appears before mankind primarily as a master of the Ukrainian word, an artist in the field of domestic artistic poetry and prose. At the same time, the intellectual work of the great stonemason was not limited to this. A man of encyclopedic knowledge and extraordinary abilities, Ivan Franko created a solid foundation for the development and functioning of the Ukrainian language not only through his own artistic but also scientific activities: he wrote linguistic works on Ukrainian spelling, defending the richness of the Ukrainian language on a folk basis languages; the researcher paid considerable attention to children’s speech and issues of language philosophy. Given the need to normalize modern Ukrainian spelling and limit the norms of colloquial speech, the question of analyzing the best traditions that have historically developed in the linguistic heritage of the nation’s luminaries, which should primarily include Ivan Franko, is particularly relevant. Despite the significant time that separates us from the period when Ivan Franko lived and worked, his work and ideas remain in time, given that it is worth outlining the scientist’s contribution to the history of formation and development of linguistics in Ukraine. The scientific and spiritual roots of the national greatness of the glorious son of the Ukrainian people I. Franko are undoubted. Truly a giant of spirit, the immortal Stonemason left behind an invaluable artistic treasure for future researchers of the word. A native of the depths of the people, he, being a great master of the word, nurtured a love for the native language, tried to join its origins, glorified, created and defended the Ukrainian word, prophesying a great future for him. It was he who created the scientific basis for the assertion of the phonetic principle in spelling, for the creation of linguistic norms on a living folk basis, taking into account regional diversity. Today this principle is dominant in modern Ukrainian spelling. I. Franko’s followers perfected his lexicographical achievements, lexical-phraseological and dialectal teachings. For a long time, there has been a debate in linguistic circles about the possibility / impossibility of developing figurative meanings in established phrases, but modern linguistics has proved the correctness of Franko’s conclusions in this area on a large number of examples. In the aspect of comparing the features of phraseology and words, modern scholars unanimously claim that established linguistic expressions, as well as individual words, have the ability to semantic transformation, and illustrate this with a large number of examples. Prospects for further research are seen by the authors in the study and analysis of modern linguistic material based on the ideas initiated by Ivan Franko in various linguistic fields

history of Ukrainian linguistics; formation and development of science; the evolution of the language system; the struggle for the standardization of spelling; the phonetic principle of spelling; the living vernacular; standardization; lexical and phraseological developments; the scientific style of the Ukrainian language