New literacy and new illiteracy of the XXI century

The evolution of modern terminology referring to the concept «literacy» based on the comparative materials of the Russian and English languages sources are analyzed. The issues of differentialization of various types of human activities of the XXI century, caused by the need to write and read with the assistance of new gadgets and information communication technologies are touched upon. The meanings of terminological neologisms, offered by university and librarian international community for creation generic idea about «new literacy» phenomena in a modern world is revealed. The issue of new illiteracy aspects caused by scientific-technical progress is raised. The literacy and illiteracy problems are correlated with the goals of lifelong learning. Accentuation and study of various literacy aspects and copability with situational «partial illiteracy» is linked in author’s opinion with the diversity of semiotic systems, which might be used in educational communication with modal variability of knowledge transfer and reception. In connection with the above said, the idea of the polysemiotic provision necessity in education is claimed. The article contains the abundance of concrete facts and references, forming an extended idea about the actual context of scientific view on the problem.