Сonnotation in view of speech genre theory

Abstract

The article is aimed at the research of the interrelation between genre and style, namely the problem of connotation within the speech genre framework. The importance of studying the extra- and intraliguistic components of an utterance is determined by general tendencies in modern textology and colloquial linguistics aimed at pragmatizing the research. The research is based on the statements of language and culture interrelation, speech and mind interaction, the priority of human perception in language production, as well as genre determination in compliance with the extralinguistic reality or the cognitive system of a fictional universe. According to the authors, the notion of a speech genre is one of the most important theoretical frameworks of the modern linguistics. The article reviews the history of speech genre theory development from the modern perspective. The authors emphasize the importance of M. Bakhtin’s speech genres theory for the idea of speech genres subdivision into primary and secondary ones, as well as the triple unity of the aspects of theme, style and composition of an utterance. The intention of an utterance is associated with its theme, thus stressing the role of the connotative component of an utterance as a means of expressive and evaluative influence upon the addressee. The research of interrelation between genre structures and connotation demonstrates a range of linguistic features specific for the styles typical for the particular fields of human interaction. The interaction of the intentional component of the utterance with the connotative components is confirmed by the intentional synonymy existing in the language. Therefore, the emotional and evaluative nature of connotative meaning activates the communicative and axiological aspect of an utterance content.

Keywords

• speech genre
• style
• utterance
• connotation
• intention
• stylistic device
• evaluation