Specification Of The Modern Russian In Words Alone

This dissertation is a study of non-standard holophrastic utterances in Russian, which are non-predicate communication units realized by a word or a fixed word group, unable to be further analyzed into lower-class grammatical units nor extended.In modern Russian, holophrastic utterances are frequently used, not only because of their economical, emotional and highly expressive characteristics, but also their embodiment of the tendency of conventionalization, fixation, systemization and regularization in language use. Non-standard holophrastic utterances are one of the most effective means to convey the expressive meaning in communication.Although non-standard holophrastic utterances in Russian have abundant meanings and play an important role in people’s communication, it is indeed a pity that the study of them is far from sufficient, taking up only a small proportion of Russian grammatical research. This naturally leads to the neglect of non-standard holophrastic utterances in Russian teaching in China, teachers not giving systematic lectures on such utterances.In terms of the content of study, the linguistic academia usually focuses on simplistic classification and morpho-structural description of non-standard holophrastic utterances, without in-depth analysis of the realistic significance and functions of such special linguistic units in communication, nor is there comprehensive research that integrates cognitive, semantic and pragmatic aspects.In addition, there remain many controversial issues concerning non-standard holophrastic utterances in Russian, such as their classification, status, content and range, and also their relations with onomatopoeia, interjections, courtesy words, vocatives, vocative sentences, etc.Therefore, it is believed that it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive and systematic study on non-standard holophrastic utterances in Russian, which represents a unique linguistic phenomenon.This dissertation is mainly composed of four chapters. Chapter One introduces the views in Russian linguistic circles on the definition of non-standard holophrastic utterances, representative scholars and existing problems. It also puts forward the author’s viewpoint through comparative analysis between non-standard holophrastic utterances and sentences in terms of forms, semantics and communicative organization. Chapter Two summarizes the views and disputes among linguists on the status of non-standard holophrastic utterances, addresses the concept of utterance and conventionalization, and establishes the status of non-standard holophrastic utterances in the system of utterance. This chapter also discusses the reasons for frequent use of such units in spoken Russian. Chapter Three presents the differences in existing views on the content of non-standard holophrastic utterances, and addresses the relationships among courtesy words, vocatives, onomatopoeia and non-standard holophrastic utterances. On the basis of inseparability and inextensibility, this chapter provides a new investigation into and rational criticism of the content of non-standard holophrastic utterances, and raises the author’s own opinion on the definition and range of interjections and "exclamation sentences" in traditional grammar. It finally offers a detailed analysis of five types of non-standard holophrastic utterances, namely positive/negative non-standard holophrastic utterances, emotion-appraisal non-standard holophrastic utterances, imperative non-standard holophrastic utterances, interrogative non-standard holophrastic utterances, and non-standard holophrastic utterances as discourse markers. Chapter Four focuses on the functions of non-standard holophrastic utterances in monologues and dialogues. In monologues, non-standard holophrastic utterances mainly perform expressive function and structural function. In dialogues, such utterances feature expressive, semantic, structural, informational and interpersonal functions, among which structural and informational functions can be further classified into various sub-functions.In summary, this dissertation analyzes and discusses issues concerning non-standard holophrastic utterances in Russian from various perspectives and levels, adopting multiple research methodologies and grammatical, semantic and pragmatic theories in linguistics.