Spanish memorial speeches in the aspect of pragmalinguistics

The article examines the Spanish memorial discourse, the part of it that is associated with the genre of oral solemn speech delivered on the occasion of the date of birth or death of an outstanding historical figure. The object of the work is the speeches delivered by the Spanish King Philip VI on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the death of Cervantes and at the so-called memorial act dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the death of Antonio de Nebrija, the great Spanish scientist and humanitarian. The subject of the study is the discursive characteristics of memorial speeches, the distinctive feature of which are different types of argumentation (proof, persuasion, impact), and the types of speeches – epideictic, advisory, and judgmental. Along with logical, informative arguments, an important role is played by the pragmalinguistic characteristics of texts – expressive, emotional and evaluative shades of the meanings conveyed in them, depending on the intentions of the meanings. The research methodology is interdisciplinary in nature, taking into account the general scientific principles of synthesis and analysis, and also includes methods of discursive and cognitive analysis, which involve combining linguistic methods of studying the subject with extralinguistic ones. The introduction of memory as a cognitive-linguistic phenomenon is an innovative part of the work. The pragmalinguistic approach to memorial speeches is based on two directions in pragmalinguistics: functional, which takes into account the goals and objectives of public speaking (pathos), and hidden, implicit pragmalinguistics, which refers to the speech behavior of the author of the speech expressing his attitude to the objects of public speaking (ethos). The memorial speeches of the Spanish monarch Philip VI combine the functions of a logos message and take into account the rhetorical components of persuasion and influence – pathos and ethos. In memorial discourse, in addition to memorial oral speeches, the genres of wills, obituaries, and small-format texts are also possible-designations of memorial cultural or administrative institutions. The pragmatic intention of the author of the speech may be open or implicit.

memorial discourse, memorial speeches, oral public speech, functional pragmalinguistics, hidden pragmalinguistics, argumentation, impact, persuasion, proof, speech behavior