Proceedings of Southern Federal University. Philology
The journal focuses on applied science; peer-reviewed, issued in Russian (4 issues per year); has a subscription index in the Russian Post catalog. The journal covers fundamental and applied research in philology (linguistics and literary studies), teaching methods of the Russian (including that as a foreign language) and foreign languages, literature, and journalism. The journal publishes scientific articles, materials of conferences, symposia, round tables, information on scientific events, reviews, research reports, translations of foreign authors’ works, and other research materials. The edition informs the readers on the current state and prospects of the development of philological science in Russia and abroad. The journal is of interest for researchers, university lecturers, college and secondary school teachers, post-graduate students, candidate and doctoral students. The edition is distributed to the leading scientific and educational institutions of the Russian Federation and abroad, national libraries, scientific funds, and other structures and institutions of the science-and-education scope. The high quality of studies is provided not only by the researchers of the Southern Federal District but also by leading researchers of universities and scientific organizations in other regions and abroad. Publication procedure Review procedure Editorial of the journal Contacts ISSN 2312-1343 (e-version) ISSN 1995-0640 (printed version) 47183 (subscription index in “Russian Post” catalogue) Impact-factor of Russian Science Citation Index 2023 0,559 (two-year) Impact-factor of Russian Science Citation Index 2023 0,196 (five-year)
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METHODS OF STIMULATING CREATIVE ACTIVITY IN THE COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS DEVELOPMENT
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-196-206 The relevance of this study is to optimize decision-making within group strategic sessions, that have become widespread in the educational and creative organizations` management, as well as the need to develop specific management tools and methods in the creative industries, including advertising and communications. To identify the most productive methods for organizing the communication product development process, a field study was developed using experimental methods, observation, comparison, structural-semantic analysis, and integrated assessment based on specified criteria. Comparison of the results of group work in two project sessions, conducted as part of the field study, confirms the efficiency of using creative methods to stimulate the creative process. Comparison of two project sessions, where students worked individually (both with and without creative methods) leads to the conclusion that the use of creative methods does not provide significant advantages and does not improve the quality of the developed projects. This may indicate the ineffectiveness of the focal object method chosen for the experiment. The comparison of the results of individual and group project sessions without the use of creative methods refutes the hypothesis that group work is more effective than individual work in developing communication projects and confirms this if creative methods are used in project sessions. Key words: communication creativity, communication product, creative activity, creative process, methods of creative activity, creative management, research of creative activity, creative personality
Copyright (c) 2026 Alexandra M. Ponomareva, Nina B. Motkova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
ON COGNITIVE AND COMMUNICATION CAPABILITY OF SYNTAX
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-178-194 The article deals with the problem of the cognitive and communicative potential of syntax and syntactic skills on the example of the topic “One-member sentences”. The relevance of this problem is due to various reasons, including, firstly, the lack of development of theoretical and practical aspects of teaching syntax based on a cognitive-communicative approach; secondly, the social demand for schools to develop a thinking, feeling, and acting personality in the process of teaching Russian; and thirdly, the underdevelopment of syntactic thinking among students, which hinders the successful formation of communicative and cognitive competencies and therefore does not meet the goal of developing speech and speech-thinking abilities in modern schoolchildren. The research objectives include the analysis of linguistic, psycholinguistic, psychological, and methodological works on the selected issue, which was achieved using theoretical research methods, observation, reflection, and generalization. In the process of analyzing linguistic and psycholinguistic sources, the cognitive and communicative potential of syntax has been identified, which lies in the interconnected interaction of thought and word, with the active participation of psychological mechanisms that ensure the movement of thought into word and its implementation. The article presents arguments that prove the possibility of considering syntactic skills as cognitive and communicative. The cognitive potential of one-member sentences is contained in those operations that ensure the active cognitive activity of students in the formation of syntactic concepts, and most importantly, the ability to think, compare, differentiate, classify, and choose a sentence model to solve a communicative task. The communicative potential of one-member structures provides an opportunity to realize the functional purpose of syntactic one-member structures for solving various communicative tasks. The theoretical significance of the problem is to develop a cognitive-communicative approach in the field of syntax. The practical significance is determined by the consideration of methodological conditions for implementing a cognitive-communicative approach in teaching syntax. In conclusion, conclusions are drawn about the ways of implementing the cognitive-communicative approach in the formation of students' syntactic skills. Key words: syntax, syntactic skill, cognitive and communicative component, training, approach
Copyright (c) 2026 Olga A. Skryabina, Yulia V. Afonina https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
GAMIFICATION IN TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES TO ADOLESCENT STUDENTS
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-169-177 The study of the possibility of increasing the efficiency of foreign language teaching by improving teaching aids is the aim of this research. The switch of the leading type of activity and the transition of interests into the framework of the educational process, where both cognitive abilities and personality development are formed, is a distinctive feature of adolescence. The teacher's task is to find teaching tools that will allow students to become active and interested participants in the educational process, and will help maintain interest in learning and the desire for self-development. One of such means, in our view, is gamification, which is built not on replacing serious activities with games, but on accompanying the educational process with elements of gaming activities, which is the relevance of this study. The scientific novelty lies in the theoretical substantiation of the possibility and feasibility of using elements of strategic gamification at the middle stage of training. The practical significance is determined by the need for their use, confirmed by a survey of teachers, an analysis of teaching and methodological complexes in English for grades 7 and the results of experimental training conducted on the basis of the methodological recommendations developed by the author. Key words: gaming activity, strategic gamification, adolescence, elements of gamification
Copyright (c) 2026 Marina A. Lubyanova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
PRECEDENT TEXTS REFLECTING THE POST- REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD DURING STUDYING M. A. BULGAKOV’S “DOG’S HEART” AT LITERATURE LESSONS IN THE 8TH FORM
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-158-168 This article examines the concept of “precedent text”, that is important for forming student’s national identity and their cultural connection to their homeland. The author reviewing the history of the issue pays attention at its relevance in the field of literature teaching methodology. Studying precedent texts at literature lessons allows students to immerse themselves in the historical context of a work of art and contributes to a more detailed understanding of the plot and the writer’s ideas. The research is based on demonstrating a system of tasks according to four stages of working with precedent texts. They contribute to the gradual incorporation of discursive units into student’s speech. In according, the tasks both present research-based and creative character in order to unlock student’s intellectual potential. As an example, the author uses work with M. A. Bulgakov’s novel “Dog’s Heart” which is studied in 8th form. The tasks are followed by historical and cultural comments that allows students not only to learn important information about the period but also to examine the satirical direction of the work. In addition, this system of tasks will allow precedent texts to be integrated into student’s mind. Working with precedent texts from M. A. Bulgakov’s novel, which has remained relevant for a century, will help students to understand this complex and contradictory period, broaden the horizons and comprehend the intent of a work that addresses timeless themes. Key words: precedent text, literature lesson, M. A. Bulgakov, “Dog’s Heart”, postrevolutionary period, modern school literary education
Copyright (c) 2026 Maria A. Sokolova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
“CREATING AN IMAGE OF A HERO IS THE MAIN THING THAT MOTIVATED ME”: THE IMAGE OF MAJOR ZILIN IN THE NOVEL “ASSAN” BY V. S. MAKANIN
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-143-155 The focus of the study is the novel “Asan” by V. S. Makanin, particularly the character of Major Zhilin. The work deals with a portrait of a synthetic hero, and the plot with a highly principled artistic definition of the image. The aim of the analysis is to identify various aspects of a complex image that cause polar interpretations. The methods of work were based on a multimethodology including the use of comparative-historical, typological, structural-semantic methods combined with a systematic approach. The symbolic semantics of the image of the narrative acquires an individuality of the mythological god Asan. The multi-valued, structural, and denotative meaning of a complex image synthesizes “author's” dominant types in a new model of the character and his behavior. The idea of a living soul in the novel is supported by a complex narrative discourse, conceptual motifs, and symbols, as well as a powerful literary tradition expressed in the onomastic, plot-driven and archetypal layers of the work. Key words: Makanin, Asan, synthetic image, narrative discourse, symbolic images, literary tradition
Copyright (c) 2026 Yaroslava O. Gudzova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
THE NARRATIVE MODELS OF THE HEROINE’S WAY IN RUSSIAN FAIRY TALE
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-131-142 As part of the study of female initiation in the folk tradition, four models of the heroine’s way in the Russian fairy tale are proposed, highlighted on work on the way of the hero V. Ya Propp and J. Campbell and to analyze plot groups with an active central female character. The set of plots and the description of models are based on the structure of the female character and on the family and the age status of the heroine. The above models retained the features of ancient family and generic relationships. So these models can be used in a further more in depth analysis of fabulous plots both on Russian folklore material and on the material of other cultures. This will open up opportunities for wider generalizations and comparisons. The article also presents a brief overview of the concept of the heroine’s way in two popular modern works and an assessment of their degree of application for the analysis of actual material within the folkloristics. Key words: fairy tale, heroine, female character, way model, initiation, folklore
Copyright (c) 2026 Sergey V. Alpatov, Irina V. Zaitseva https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
TRADITIONS OF MODERN SPIRITUAL PROSE IN E.G. VODOLAZKIN’S NOVEL “THE LAUREL”
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-122-130 Spiritual prose based on the principle of theocentrism and addressing the Orthodox worldview is an actual phenomenon in the modern Russian literature. In many works related to this phenomenon, the main place is occupied by an evolving character who goes through a difficult path of spiritual rebirth. The action of E.G. Vodolazkin’s novel “The Laurel” takes place in the Middle Ages and tells about the life and spiritual evolution of a doctor who eventually acquires the features of a righteous hero. The traditions of spiritual prose are embodied through the level of nominations: the hero has four names (Arseny, Ustin, Ambrose, Laurus), which symbolize the four stages of a person’s life who embarked on the path of monastic service. The key value vectors reflected in the work are love, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and sacrifice. The hero himself experiences suffering and strives to help others free themselves from internal conflicts, that allows him to get closer to God. In addition, the author refers to church sacraments and rituals, such as baptism and monastic tonsure, which also indicates the reflection of the traditions of spiritual prose in the novel. Key words: spiritual prose, novel “Laurel”, life, evolving character
Copyright (c) 2026 Ivan S. Leonov, Kan Wenfeng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
METAPHORICAL REPRESENTATION OF THE IMAGE OF 草 (GRASS) IN THE RUSSIAN TRANSLATION OF “THE WATER MARGIN” BY SHI Shi NAIAN
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-109-119 This study examines the metaphorical representation of the image 草 (grass) in the Russian translation of the classical Chinese novel “The Water Margin” by Shi Naian, translated by A.P. Rogachev. Using the Metaphor Identification Procedure (MIP), 87 metaphors containing the “grass” component were identified in the first 70 chapters of the text. The analysis systematized four key translation strategies: literal translation of the metaphor focus, conversion-based translation, and their combinations with semantic interpretation. The findings demonstrate that applying these strategies minimizes the loss of metaphorical content and achieves a cognitive effect equivalent to that of the original text. This research fills a gap in the study of the translation legacy of “The Water Margin” and proposes an interdisciplinary methodology integrating cognitive linguistics and translation studies for the analysis of Chinese classical texts. Key words: metaphorical representation, translation strategies, the image of grass, metaphor, Russian translation, intercultural communication, “The Water Margin”
Copyright (c) 2026 Li Yuhan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
FEATURES OF THE AUTHORIAL SEMANTIZATION OF THE TITLE OF J. AUSTEN'S NOVEL “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE”
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-96-108 The study is devoted to a linguo-pragmatic analysis of the title of Jane Austen's novel “Pride and Prejudice” as a binary authorial opposition that sets the vector for reader interpretation. Drawing on lexicographic sources, the synonymous range of the interacting key lexemes (pride and prejudice) is examined, and their semantic nuances are established as the foundational material for identifying the textual semantization of the titular nominations as the primary authorial interpretation of the work. The analysis employed the techniques of functional-pragmatic, definitional, contextual, and comparative methods. The examination of the historical and cultural context revealed the linguo-pragmatic features, as well as the specifics of the title's phonetic and grammatical organization. The modeling of textual synonymic paradigms demonstrates the individual-authorial semantization of the titular nominations through synonymic variation, attraction, and semantic nuance, which serve as a pragmatic tool for realizing the author's intent. Key words: title semantics, Jane Austen, authorial intent, character portrayal, artistic reflection, synonymic paradigm, synonymic variation
Copyright (c) 2026 Ilya E. Protopopov https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
WAYS OF EXPRESSING MOTIVATION IN THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE ACADEMIC GENRE “VICE-CHANCELLOR’S ADDRESS”
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-83-95 This article is devoted to the integrative linguistic analysis of the means, expressing motivation in the genre of the university vice-chancellor’s address to the academic community. The study is carried out within the framework of the modern theory of discourse and pragmalinguistics and considers the vice-chancellor’s address as an established, traditional oral speech genre. The article identifies some key approaches to motivation in the professional environment in relation to the academic context, develops an analytical model for employing motivational speech strategies. It also analyzes the dominant motivational strategies at different levels of the language: lexical, morphological-syntactic, textual-compositional, and linguistic-pragmatic. The aim of the study is to identify and systematize the main motivational strategies implemented in the speech practices of the British university vice-chancellors. The results of the study show that the genre of vice-chancellor's address has specific features due to its status, institutionality publicity, dialogicity, targetting, and genre asymmetry (vice-chancellor → community). The speech producers try to satisfy various motivational needs, such as informing the audience about the university's mission, prestige, and values; creating a sense of community; demonstrating support and empathy; appealing to challenges as opportunities; giving academic freedom. The strategy of modality plays a special role in expressing motivation as a way of showing the speaker's attitude towards the content of the utterance, the communicative goals, and the degree of reliability of the information being conveyed. Key words: academic genre, motivational strategies, lexical level, morphological and syntactic level, text-composition level, linguistic pragmatics level, discourse analysis
Copyright (c) 2026 Marina A. Sukhomlinova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
THE VOCABULARY OF THE CHRISTIAN CREED IN “NEW WORD INTERPRETER” (1803-1806) BY N. M. YANOVSKY
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-67-82 The study is in line with the problems of the history of Russian lexicography and lexicology of the 18th - early 19th centuries. The novelty of the work is that that it first analyzes the features of the lexicographic description of the vocabulary of the Christian doctrine, contained in one of the fundamental publications of the Imperial Academy of Sciences - “New Word Interpreter” by N. M. Yanovsky, which is the largest collection of foreign words used in Russian by the end of the 18th century. As a result of the study, it was established that, despite the largely compilation nature and dependence of the “New Word Interpreter” on the “Church Dictionary” by P.A. Alekseev and the “Dictionary of the Russian Academy”, the work of N.M. Yanovsky is a valuable source for studying the borrowed vocabulary of Christian dogma of the 18th - early 19th centuries, reflecting its most productive thematic groups and incorporating a range of common religious words, which entered the Russian language in the 18th century and did not become the subject of interpretation in previous lexicographic works. Key words: Russian lexicography, vocabulary of Christian doctrine, religious vocabulary, N. M. Yanovsky, “New Word Interpreter”, 18th century, beginning of 19th century
Copyright (c) 2026 Sergei V. Feliksov https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
RELIGIOUS TERMINOLOGY AS A REFLECTION OF SOCIO-POLITICAL PROCESSES OF MEDIEVAL FRANCE
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-58-66 The aim of the study, conducted on the material of French theological vocabulary, is to demonstrate the influence of Catholicism on various political and social processes in medieval France. The religious terms were selected from historical literature and subjected to the linguacultural analysis in the diachronic context. French religious terminology as a layer of theological vocabulary goes back to Greek and Latin. Many verbs acquire religious meaning precisely within the framework of the churchreligious context. Being verbal manifestation of concepts associated with the Christian faith, religious terminology reflects the special role of the Catholic Church as a socio-political institution in the formation of the French national state. The research helps to trace the inextricable connection between religion, history and language as a complex system of verbal expression of the cognitive and social activity of French people. The obtained results have theoretical significance for modern French linguistics as a multidisciplinary paradigm, as well as practical value for linguodidactics, foreign language teaching methods, and lexicography. In addition, the analysis of the role of the church in the formation of French national statehood, carried out on the basis of religious terminology, contributes to understanding the position of modern French right-wing and ultra-right political formations, which consists in preserving French identity and rejecting concepts of human existence alien to French culture. Key words: theological vocabulary, religious terminology, Frankish state, history of France, Catholic Church, French linguistics, Romance studies
Copyright (c) 2026 Polina G. Loginova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
PERSONIFICATION OF GENDER AESTHETICS IN FEMALE IMAGES BY A. P. CHEKHOV, A. I. KUPRIN, I. A. BUNIN
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-47-55 Creating a female image, each artist finds his own details based on his personal sensory experience and worldview. Since beauty is a metaphysical hypostasis that cannot be universally defined, the reception of the ideal female beauty is accompanied by the writer's reflection on the nature of this phenomenon. The analysis of the representation of three female images in the stories of contemporary Russian writers allows us to compare not only the stylistics of their embodiment, but also the philosophical understanding of this phenomenon by each of them. The verbal description of literary characters makes it possible to draw parallels with precedent examples of the world-famous paintings. The linguistic analysis allows us to draw the following conclusions. Chekhov's reception of the female beauty is in grace, natural harmony and chastity, Kuprin's one is in lines and proportions, and Bunin sees it in the dynamics of color, light and fragrance. According to the authors’ speculations It can be concluded that Chekhov here considers the beauty of a woman philosophically, Kuprin – in ontogenesis, and Bunin – in the spirit of pantheism. Key words: female beauty, emotional reaction, portrait features, aesthetic assessment, harmony, grace, verbal painting
Copyright (c) 2026 Marianna B. Samoilova, Nina A. Ranneva https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
THE ROLE OF A COMEDIAN AND A TRAGEDIAN IN THE VAUDEVILLES OF A. P. CHEKHOV AND I. L. SHCHEGLOV
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-34-46 The role of the comedian and tragedian in Chekhov's vaudevilles is analyzed in comparison with their counterparts in Shcheglov's plays. The internal connection between these roles and the role of inversion in the process of their mutual reversibility are shown (a comedian by nature and a tragedian against his will). It proves that the characters of vaudeville heroes have a matrix character, that is, they are presented by the authors as ready-made and well-known. Chekhov's vaudevilles are built on the basis of taking into account the role, in line with the tradition that Shcheglov's vaudevilles represented. Chekhov's plays, written for the Art Theatre, were built on overcoming the principle of role. The protagonists of these plays transcend a specific type of role. The roles of comedian and tragedian were retained in an inverted version by minor characters in Chekhov's major plays. Key words: role, comedian, tragedian, vaudeville, A. P. Chekhov, I. L. Shcheglov
Copyright (c) 2026 Alexandr V. Kubasov https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
CHEKHOV'S MYTH IN RUNET FOLKLORE: BIOGRAPHICAL COMPONENT
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-20-33 Chekhov’s surname, first name, patronymic and pseudonyms; appearance; profession (doctor and writer); trip to Sakhalin; pets; Josephine Pavlovna; Chekhov the playwright and his collaboration with Konstantin Stanislavsky are the subject of comic reinterpretation in Runet folklore. Although subject to demythologization, the image of A. P. Chekhov nevertheless emerges in the analyzed examples of Runet folklore (memes, jokes, anecdotes, rhymes) as an iconic figure, a paragon of intelligence. Key words: writer's myth, biographical component, Chekhov, online folklore, online poetry, mythologization, demythologization
Copyright (c) 2026 Veronika I. Abramova, Yulia V. Arkhangelskaya https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
EVENT TIME IN A. CHEKHOV’S DRAMA OF 1890-1900s
10.18522/1995-0640-2026-1-12-19 ‘Time to do smth’ as a form of time is considered as the event time. The event of this period of time demonstrates incompletness of a man: it is the most striking example of the adogmatism of Chekhov’s artistic thinking. ‘Time to do smth’, first of all, the time of being, where a person is thrown by the fact of birth, coming into the world, but ‘the time is ripe’ is also the time of an existential choice, living one’s life here and now. The action is discredited in Chekhov’s drama the action is discredited. The actions of the heroes of ‘now’ depend on ‘the time is ripe’ that was hidden from them. In this form of hidden historical, social, and psychological factors are revealed to the characters. It is also time for the hero’s personal existence to become free from illusions. This is exactly the side of ‘Time to do smth’ that is emphasized by A. Chekhov. One of the forms of liberation from the illusions is “patience”, stoicism. Key words: Chekhov, drama, event, existence, forms of time
Copyright (c) 2026 Anatoly S. Sobennikov https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
ON THE HISTORY OF THE WORD “JOURNALISM” IN FRENCH AND ENGLISH
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-184-196 Abstract. This article attempts to trace the history of the word “journalism” in English and French with the aim of critically evaluating the claim of the English sociologist J. Chalaby that it was an Anglo-American invention. The analysis of the articles in the English press of the early 1830s, where the word “journalism” first appeared, strongly suggests that it could have been called a French invention at least half a century before the emergence of discursive practices underlying modern Anglo-American journalism. Key words: history of journalism, invention of journalism, journalism, journalisme
Copyright (c) 2025 Vitaly M. Vinichenko https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
FREE DICTATION IN CLASSES ON RUSSIAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN AN IRANIAN CLASSROOM
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-166-181 Abstract. The article considers free dictation as one of the most effective practical methods for the formation of foreign students' skills in perceiving spoken speech and developing writing skills. The relevance of the research is due to the methodological potential of free dictation, which, from the authors' point of view, is not fully realized when learning Russian in a foreign-speaking audience. The authors have innovatively and systematically comprehended the criteria for selecting texts for free dictation, built a technology for conducting free dictation, and proposed techniques for working on free dictation based on the text “Modern Cities of the Volga region”. Key words: Russian as a foreign language, free dictation, text selection criteria, speech skills, spelling skills, supporting words
Copyright (c) 2025 Anatoliy Yu. Ustinov, Olga N. Levushkina https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
INTEGRATION OF MUSEUM PRACTICES INTO THE SYSTEM OF TEACHING THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-157-165 Abstract. The article deals with the possibilities of integrating the educational content of the Mineralogical Museum of the Sergo Ordzhonikidze Russian State Geological Prospecting University into the system of teaching Russian to foreign geologists. The relevance of this work is determined by the practical significance of such integration in the development of professional disciplines by foreign students, as well as the need to train specialists who can effectively communicate in a professional multicultural environment. Integration of museum exhibits enables students to delve deeper into the content of academic courses, enhances their motivation to assimilate study materials, and cultivates interest in the history of Russian science and culture. The authors examine concrete methods of utilizing practical assignments aimed at developing lexical-grammatical skills, enhancing conversational abilities, and broadening the horizons of learners. Special emphasis is placed on the development of didactic materials that allow for the use of museum collections within the framework of the Geology curriculum. The study analyzes the characteristics of how foreign audiences perceive specific terminology and cultural heritage reflected in mineralogical and petrographic exhibitions. The practical value of the research lies in proposals for improving the program of teaching Russian language, as well as recommendations for activating self-study activities among foreign students. Key words: museum practices, Russian as a foreign language, technical university, Mineralogical Museum
Copyright (c) 2025 Anna N. Bertyakova, Rimma М. Mirzoeva, Svetlana M. Morozova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
USING A SONG AS A WAY TO DEVELOP LANGUAGE COMPETENCE IN TEACHING RFL
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-147-156 Abstract. The study reports on the importance of working with song material in Russian as a foreign language classes. The article presents a methodological development that includes examples of tasks that can be used in the classroom. The tasks are aimed at developing lexical, grammatical, phonetic, sociolinguistic and cultural competencies. In addition, the tasks involve all types of speech activity, develop listening skills (students need to understand the general meaning of the text, hear the missing word), reading (read the text and understand its meaning), speaking and writing (answer questions in writing or orally), and also, the exercises are aimed at updating and consolidating lexical and grammatical skills and familiarization with facts about the culture and characteristics of the country of the language being studied. The presented materials can be used for training teachers of humanities and for conducting classes in the classroom of foreign students. The model described can be successfully applied in practice, and can also be used when developing lessons on other topics and songs. Key words: song, Russian as a foreign language, authentic material, interactive material, language competence
Copyright (c) 2025 Evgeniya P. Ulyanova, Maxim N. Ulyanov https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
THE SPECIFICS OF TEACHING LISTENING IN THE RUSSIAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSE IN AN AFRICAN AUDIENCE
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-138-146 Abstract. Listening is a type of language practice that relates to receptive activity. The purpose of the work is to consider a model of teaching listening to Russian as a foreign language in an African audience. The study was based on the following methods: systematic observation of the learning process, statistical processing of the data obtained, comparative analysis of various approaches to teaching and generalization of the accumulated practical experience of working with foreign students. As a result of the study, the authors of the article believe that the formation of foreign citizens' ability to listen to a foreign language is the ultimate goal of teaching listening. The listening process ensures the integrity of the psychological and physiological process of listening. Certain mechanisms are of decisive importance, such as timely and effective auditory perception, auditory memory and the principles of recognition, prediction, association, analysis and synthesis. The authors of the article come to the conclusion about the need to develop a language training system based on certain learning rules. It can help foreign citizens develop and improve their listening skills in Russian with an effective result. Key words: Russian as a foreign language, listening, Africans, pre-university preparation, phonetics, audio materials, intonation
Copyright (c) 2025 Olga N. Boldyreva, Evgenia V. Golubeva https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
THE MODES OF TRADITIONALISM IN THE SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY OF CRITICISM OF THE RUSSIAN DIASPORA IN THE 1920s AND 1940s
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-129-136 Abstract. The article examines the paradoxes and curiosities of the poetics of traditionalism in the theoretical and methodological views of critics of the Russian diaspora. Their interest in distant historical and literary parallels was reflected not only in the problems, but also influenced the reverse principles of the scientific thinking: the anachronistic method of reverse experiment (P. M. Bicilli), recursive reading from the top of a masterpiece to the origins of creativity (A. Boehm), palindromic reading of texts - “backwards”, “from the other end” (V. Nabokov). Discursive ambivalence is a consequence of the rejection of a single-vector app roach: interpretations of modernism as a form of conservatism, Romanticism as a metahistorical category (D. Svyatopolk-Mirsky, V. Nabokov), the revival of allegory and the interference of elements of the Middle Ages in modern art (P. M. Bicilli). Intertextual analysis (mechanisms of “parallels”, “literary recollections”) serves as a formal confirmation of the thesis that in the historical perspective, the relationship of cultures is dialogical, reversible, and determines the modes of critical reflection of writers abroad. Key words: traditionalism, metalanguage, discursive ambivalence, artistic thinking, P. Bicilli, A. Boehm, V. Nabokov
Copyright (c) 2025 Liudmila N. Ryaguzova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
POET-NEOTRADIONALIST - THE GUARDIAN OF ART SPACE
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-115-128 Abstract. On the one hand the article deals with the explanation why neotraditionalism as a type of fictional thought as a feature of the Russian poetry of the 20th century can be underestimated by literature researchers, on the other hand, it serves to highlight the features of fiction world that can be used to identify a poet-neotraditionalist. Consideration the phenomenon of neotraditionalism has been impeded due to the historical circumstances influencing on the discussion of the postmodernism of modernism fate in Russia. As a result the statement on the victory of historical avant-garde, which is typical for western perception of the literature of the 20th century, has been reflected on the native literature process. Nevertheless, the key to understanding the features and peculiarities of the Russian poetic history after symbolism is connected to the acceptance of neotraditionalism as a type of fictional thought. Key words: Russian poetry, post-symbolism, neotraditionalism, poetic, fictional world
Copyright (c) 2025 Vladimir I. Kozlov https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
THE CREATIVE STATUS OF ARTISTIC WRITING AS THE FUNDAMENTAL VALUE OF NEOTRADITIONALISM
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-107-114 Abstract. Neotraditionalism (the term suggested by Thomas Eliot's essay “Tradition and Individual Talent”) is considered not as one of the many “isms” of the crisis of the 20th century, but as a saving trend in artistic writing, overcoming this epoch-making crisis that led to a postmodern “consumer society” and promising the preservation of a high culture of artistic writing. The value of this trend is seen in classical aesthetics, its beginning was laid by Alexander Baumgarten, who discovered and justified the truly creative (in the full sense of the word) nature of aesthetic activity, devalued in our time by numerous provocative practices of the avant-garde. Special attention is paid to acmeism, that promotes the concept of “heralding” (replacing Kant's “genius”) to characterize truly creative acts. The radical opposition of postmodernism and the value system of artistic writing has been revealed and approved in the “Big Time” by Mandelstam, Akhmatova, Tsvetaeva, the late Pasternak, Brodsky and others, up to the modern continuators of neotraditionalism. Key words: neotraditionalism, postmodernism, creativity, artistic writing, aesthetics
Copyright (c) 2025 Valeriy I. Tiupa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
CHAPTERS ON SALSK IN THE NOVEL BY V. KAVERIN “THE OPEN BOOK”
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-95-106 Abstract. The article offers an analysis of the poetics chapters about Salsk town of the novel “The Open Book” by V. Kaverin. The steppe space in the novel is traditionally depicted for Russian classical literature: unfolds an image of a wide and spacious steppe unfolds before the reader. The steppe serves as an initiation space in which the main character matures in professional, scientific and personal relationships in the artistic world of the novel. The model of the steppe space of trial, which is characteristic for the national prose, is combined in the Kaverin’s novel with a social-realistic pathos: in the steppe man fights with nature in the name of labor feat. In addition, chapters on Salsk have the genre characteristics of the industrial novel. It becomes clear that one of the pretexts of the novel “The Open Book” can be considered a collection of travel short stories, “The Prologue” by V. Kaverin, published after the writer’s trip to the steppes of Salsk-town in 1930. Key words: Kaverin, “The Open Book”, steppe, steppe text, industrial novel Acknowledgements: the publication was prepared as part of the implementation of the state assignment of the Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences for 2025, No. 125011200150-2.
Copyright (c) 2025 Alla R. Lisitsa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
THE IMAGE OF THE FEMALE PROTAGONIST IN SADEGH HEDAYAT’S SHORT STORY “TAJALLI”
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-86-94 Abstract. This article explores the representation of the female character in “Tajalli” (“Manifestation”), a short story from “The Stray Dog” collection by the Iranian writer Sadegh Hedayat. In this story, Hedayat employs his distinct literary style to depict the life of an Armenian woman named Hasmik, living in the patriarchal society of early 20th-century Iran. Through a psychological examination of Hasmik’s inner world and her struggle between personal desires and social constraints, the narrative reveals the underlying mechanisms of female oppression. The study critically investigates how the story addresses issues of gender, family traditions, love, and the fate of women. Special attention is given to the absent figure of the husband, who, despite not appearing directly in the plot, symbolizes the dominant patriarchal order. The article also considers the influence of Russian and Western literature on the development of Hedayat’s artistic worldview. In conclusion, the paper highlights the importance of comparative literary studies and the representation of female characters in Persian literature as vital tools for understanding the status of women within the socio-cultural context of modern Iran. Key words: Sadegh Hedayat, Persian literature, Iran, “Tajalli”, women's status, Hasmik
Copyright (c) 2025 Marzieh Yahyapour, Faezeh Mohammadnia-Hanai, Janolah Karimi-Motahhar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
TRANSFORMATION OF RITUAL IN A FAIRY TALE
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-76-84 Abstract. In this article, features of structural and semantic-pragmatic transformation of ritual in the text of a fairy tale are under the analysis. Ritual is interpreted as a complex cultural sign, the expression plane of which is represented by a fixed scenario of successive actions, the content plane - by the values of the cultural community, used for the purposes of cultural designing. The main research method is discourse analysis, which includes the study of the content and communicative intentions of text fragments. The study develops the idea that a ritual can lose its characteristics and properties and transform them into a quasi-ritual. Russian fairy tales indirectly reflect rituals that have been developed in the culture. These actions are represented in the folklore text in a contracted, indexed form as some hints of rituals. To identify quasi-rituals, the article suggests considering the following factors: the action is attributed to a sacred meaning, it has a regular character, and it is aimed at achieving some result by the characters. While examining the selected object, it has been established that ritual practices are conventional, their performance is attributed with a sacred meaning. Ritual actions represent a complex idiomatic sign and are perceived as a whole; quasi-ritual actions are perceived by the naive consciousness as ordinary actions participating in the construction of a narrative. The storyteller draws readymade narrative programs from the cultural-cognitive base, which are perceived as sacred actions attributed to the characters of the fairy tale. The meaning of quasi-ritual actions is dominated by the subject component, that is, the state of affairs indicated by the sign, intentions, in comparison with the correlating ritual, changes completely. The quasi-ritual changes its significate. The ritual is aimed at changing and constructing reality, and the quasi-ritual is informative. Quasi-rituals have an archetypal basis: their cultural etymons reflect person’s naive ideas about the surrounding reality, which means that quasi-rituals indirectly reflect cultural norms. If a functional classification is more suitable for rituals, then a denotative classification is more suitable for quasi-rituals. Key words: language, culture, cultural sign, ritual, quasi-ritual, fairy tale
Copyright (c) 2025 Grigoriy V. Tokarev https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
PRAGMATICS AND SEMANTICS OF IRONY IN LITERARY DISCOURSE OF POSTMODERN
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-67-75 Abstract. The article examines irony, realized in artistic postmodernist discourse, in the pragmasemantic aspect. In the texts of S.D. Dovlatov's stories of the 1970s-1990s, linguistic markers of irony are identified, as a result of which it is determined that postmodernist irony is not exclusively a trope formed and functioning within a lexical combination or a single statement. Irony becomes contextual, representing a text-forming strategy, setting the coordinates of the polyvariability of text interpretation. The semantics of irony is based on the implicitness of meanings, but at the same time it retains the possibility of correct decoding by the addressee. The linguistic mechanisms of irony - contextual use of lexical units and lexical combinations, the result of which is the generation of conflicting meanings, language play with grammatical forms and syntactic constructions, the destruction of stable connections of components of phraseological combinations and syntactic models - are oriented towards a pragmatic impact on the reader, however, the author’s communicative strategy is oriented not towards the search for truth, but towards exposing rationality and attempting to prove the decentering of the world as such. Key words: pragmatics, semantics, contextual irony, literary discourse, postmodernism, S. Dovlatov
Copyright (c) 2025 Maria I. Kudryavtseva, Zhinaida V. Rezhuk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
THE MANIPULATIVE FUNCTION OF PROPOSITIONAL MITIGATION IN AMERICAN POLITICAL MEDIA DISCOURSE
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-59-66 Abstract. American media resources are a very popular source of information. They are actively used to learn about current events not only by US citizens, but also by many people around the world. The success of American media in terms of effectively forming the desired political picture in the mass consciousness is largely based on the regular use of manipulative technologies. This speaks to the relevance of studying the proposition modification as a possible method of hidden linguistic influence. To date, the manipulative function of mitigation, one of the varieties of which is propositional mitigation, has not been widely covered in the scientific community. Mitigation is usually characterized positively, as an important linguistic tool aimed at reducing communication risks and improving the quality of interaction. But we suppose it is possible to use mitigation with the intention of creating or strengthening the hidden influence effect within the political media space, which is characterized by a manipulative component. In this context, the authors of news texts' appeal to propositional mitigation is of great interest. Using this makes it possible to express controversial judgments that do not have proper confirmation, while maintaining the recipient’s trust at the same level. In most of the cases of manipulation through mitigation that we found in the CNN and New York Times articles, the impact on the reader was achieved through the using of a proposition modification. Key words: political media discourse, manipulation, linguistic influence, mitigation, speech tactics, propositional mitigation
Copyright (c) 2025 Svetlana S. Takhtarova, Artur R. Mukhamatshin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
WAYS OF REPRESENTING THE PHONETIC LEVEL OF CHILDREN’S SPEECH IN FICTION
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-4-48-58 Abstract. The article focuses on the analysis of two English coming-of-age novels “Room” by E. Donoghue and “The Night Rainbow” by C. King, written from the point of view of pre-school children. This type of narration lets us trace features of children’s speech and identify language markers used for their depiction. Onomatopoeia is the most frequently used device that represents the phonetic level of a child-narrator’s speech. The writers apply it both on their own and in combination with other phonetic stylistic devices: reduplication and alliteration. The authors also analyse graphical stylistic devices, namely capitalization and italics for highlighting onomatopoeic units in the text. In some cases, the writers aim to convey physical characteristics of sounds such as their length and volume. The effect is achieved with the help of the English alphabet. The depiction of the pronunciation features of individual words (contortion of sounds, their exchange, contraction of clusters, etc.) occurs rarely. This might relate to the difficulty of depicting these peculiarities in writing. Such a choice of devices helps demonstrate pre-school children’s interest in the acoustic aspect of the world around them and represents their desire to imitate the sounds that they hear. Key words: “Room” by E. Donoghue, “The Night Rainbow” by C. King, child-narrator, children’s speech, phonetic level of speech, onomatopoeia
Copyright (c) 2025 Anna V. Korolkova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0