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Expression of Politeness/Impoliteness Via the Aspectual Forms in the Imperative in Russian

Tyurikova, Yevgeniya
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1213378430

Abstract Details

2008, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Slavic and East European Languages and Literatures.
Research on how Russian aspect functions in the imperative has revealed contradictory opinions on the emotive nuances that the aspectual forms can express in different contexts. These contradictions, however, turn out to be illusory if we consider the various approaches from the point of view of Functional Grammar, i.e., as complimentary to each other. Context, and intonation in particular, are shown to be of critical importance in resolving these contradictions, especially if there is to be an adequate discussion of the nuances of politeness/impoliteness. However, my study shows that much of the previous research on the issue has continuously neglected contextual factors. The reason for this neglect is shown to be rooted in the fact that most studies of linguistic politeness, including those by Russian scholars, are based on traditional politeness theories, in which lay conceptualizations of politeness merge with scientific notions. Thus, politeness studies become imposition theories which are subjective, evaluative and prescriptive in nature. After critiquing the traditional models, I consider alternative approaches to linguistic politeness. The latter view politeness as practice, and focus on how evaluations of (im)politeness occur in real interaction. I adopt the position reflected in the alternative approaches. However, my study's narrow focus on imperative utterances dictates the following modification: I analyze examples embedded in movie contexts which prove to be the most reliable data source for obtaining actual hearers' evaluations. Further, I demonstrate how the alternative models of linguistic politeness can be combined with the insights into aspectual semantics provided by various Russian studies on how aspect functions in the imperative. Though the alternative approach suggested in this work remains relative, as it does not allow researchers to make any definitive claims about the role of the aspectual form itself in the polite/impolite interpretation of an imperative utterance, it allows us to focus on (im)politeness as a discursive struggle which occurs in each particular instance of a real human interaction.
Daniel Collins, PhD (Advisor)
Charles Gribble, PhD (Committee Chair)
Ludmila Isurin, PhD (Committee Member)
253 p.
Language; Linguistics
imperfective aspect; perfective aspect; imperative mood; linguistic politeness; linguistic impoliteness

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Tyurikova, Y. (2008). Expression of Politeness/Impoliteness Via the Aspectual Forms in the Imperative in Russian [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1213378430

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Tyurikova, Yevgeniya. Expression of Politeness/Impoliteness Via the Aspectual Forms in the Imperative in Russian. 2008. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1213378430.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Tyurikova, Yevgeniya. "Expression of Politeness/Impoliteness Via the Aspectual Forms in the Imperative in Russian." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1213378430

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.