THE ROLE OF THE COMPLIMENT SPEECH GENRE IN THE COMEDIES OF A. N. OSTROVSKY
Abstract
https://doi.org/10.18522/1995-0640-2025-3-98-106
In this article, the author applies the theory of primary speech genres by M. M. Bakhtin, developed by A. D. Stepanov, exploring the work of A. N. Ostrovsky. The focus is on Ostrovsky's use of the compliment genre. The comedies of different periods of the playwright's work are studied (“Let's count our own people!”, “An unexpected case”, “Simplicity is enough for any wise man”, “Talents and fans”). Referring to the works of linguists, the author notes that the use of a compliment may indicate the insincerity of the interlocutor. Ostrovsky's plays, according to the author, also reflect a negative attitude towards a compliment. It is expressed in the fact that the use of Ostrovsky's characters of this genre is inextricably linked either with their selfish motives and, indeed, insincerity (Podkhalyuzin, Glumov, Berkutov), or with others, also bad intentions (Dulebov and Velikatov), or with frivolity (Rozoviy) and helplessness (Narokov). Ostrovsky's serious and honest characters do not resort to compliments (Meluzov). Thus, the use or nonuse of a compliment by a character can serve as a marker of his moral qualities. Having studied the use of the compliment speech genre in Ostrovsky's work, the author suggests that the application of the theory of speech genres in the study of the playwright's work in the future may bring a new look at the characters he created.
Key words: speech genre, Ostrovsky, compliment, comedy, insincerity
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Olga E. Belova
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
