Vol 29, No 2 (2025)

Articles

The cleft construction: A formal definition

Mel’čuk I.

Abstract

The paper addresses the task of systematizing linguistic notions and corresponding terminology: it presents a rigorous definition of the notion of cleft construction. The study is carried out in the theoretical framework of the Meaning-Text approach. The substantive and formal requirements on a rigorous linguistic definition are formulated. The cleft construction in English is described as a basis for the definition: the semantic [SemR], the deep-syntactic [DSyntR] and the surface-syntactic [SSyntR] representations of three English cleft sentences are given, as well as five formal DSyntR ⇔ SSyntR rules for the expression of a focalized Rheme by the cleft construction. The cleft construction is defined as a particular type of linguistic sign; it is a grammatical (surface-syntactic) idiom, headed by a lexeme of the copula verb ‘be’ with fairly complex syntactics. An overview of cleft constructions in several languages structurally different from English-French, Spanish, German, Irish, Kinyarwanda, and Mandarin Chinese-follows. Finally, pseudo-cleft sentences are considered; in contrast to cleft sentences, they are special only from a semantic, but not from a syntactic viewpoint (there is no term * pseudo-cleft construction ): they present a particular organization of the starting meaning. The results of the paper: 1) It proposes a formal notion of cleft construction, which allows the researchers to distinguish-in various languages-syntactic phenomena that serve the same informational purpose (namely, the expression of a focalized Rheme or Theme), but are structurally different; in this way the paper contributes to General syntax. 2) It provides a sketch of a formal description of the cleft construction in English, thus contributing to English studies.

Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):218-249
pages 218-249 views

Polyphonic parenting debate in Russian social media: A pragmatic perspective

Zbenovich C.

Abstract

The article examines the evolution of a new language for discussing private and personal matters in the public space of Russian social media. The goal of the study is to reveal the formats of talk that may serve the manifestation of the new public language, reflected in multiple discourses through which Russian parents position themselves in the Internet parenting forum debate. The data for the research were obtained from the conversation analysis of parents’ posts on Alpha Parenting, a popular Russian Facebook community platform. The study aimed to analyze more than 400 posts of parents of young children (6-12 years old) uploaded from 2017 to 2019. The emerging formats of talk are examined from a perspective of pragmatic communicative acts that shape the interactional situation in a chat forum. An interplay of the multiple forms of talk in the online forum is understand through the prism of Bakhtin’s analytical apparatus, which is based on the concepts of voice and polyphony . The results illustrate the simultaneous presence of different languages in public discussions of private life. These may pertain either to everyday informal communication constituted in the private and interpersonal sphere, to discursive practices of authoritative talk, to the meta-ways of discourse monitoring and management, or no less important, to the therapeutic public emotional talk about one’s private inner world and emotional experience. The study suggests that the ways of communicating about emotions represent an emerging emotional therapeutic attitude and language that has been regulating and reshaping Russian Internet communication.

Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):250-271
pages 250-271 views

The strategic use of metaphor in political discourse: Critical Metaphor Analysis

Atmawijaya T.D.

Abstract

Political discourse is increasingly shaped by crisis events that demand immediate rhetorical responses from leaders. While metaphors have been extensively studied in political communication, understanding their strategic deployment during crisis moments remains understudied. This gap is particularly significant given the potential impact of crisis-driven metaphorical framing on public perception and policy outcomes in democratic societies. This study aims to identify how metaphorical language is strategically deployed in political crisis communication and its role in shaping public perception and policy debates. The research focuses on Donald Trump’s 2024 nomination acceptance speech following an assassination attempt, offering a unique case study of crisis-response rhetoric in a high-stakes political context. The methodology combines Critical Metaphor Analysis with metaphor scenario identification, employing the Pragglejaz Group’s Metaphor Identification Procedure (MIP) modified for political discourse. The 12,287-word speech transcript was analyzed to identify and categorize metaphorical expressions and scenarios. Inter-coder reliability was ensured through Cohen’s kappa coefficient measurements and consensus meetings. The findings reveal sophisticated applications of interlinked metaphor scenarios that serve multiple rhetorical functions. Key scenarios identified include survival as divine intervention, immigration as invasion, and nation as construction project, creating coherent narrative arcs linking personal crisis to national renewal. The analysis demonstrates how these scenarios simplify complex issues, evoke emotional responses, and construct leadership narratives. This research contributes to crisis communication theory by demonstrating how metaphor scenarios are strategically deployed to shape public perception during pivotal political moments. The findings have important implications for media literacy education and the development of ethical guidelines for metaphor use in political communication, particularly during crisis events.

Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):272-295
pages 272-295 views

Phraseological patterns supporting effective academic writing rhetoric: The case of pedagogy research paper introductions

Vaňková I.

Abstract

The present paper presents pilot investigation of the role of phraseological patterns in conceptualizing rhetorical moves and their steps in pedagogy research paper introductions. It addresses a gap regarding utilizing these patterns and their rhetorical function within the knowledge transfer in pedagogy. The study aims to identify recurring phraseological patterns, delineate their functions in expressing rhetorical moves, and demonstrate how they contribute to the overall coherence and effectiveness of the text. The main research question explores how phraseological patterns contribute to the presentation of rhetorical moves and steps in pedagogy research paper introductions. Employing a corpus-based approach, the paper analyzes ten research papers from the Journal of Pedagogical Research published in 2023. The methodology involves identifying phraseological patterns, analyzing their rhetorical functions, examining their discourse functions, and characterizing their structural nature. The present study identifies phraseological patterns as recurring in pedagogy research papers while acknowledging their non-exclusivity to the field. Research findings reveal four key moves: establishing a thematic territory, surveying previous research, creating a research niche, and occupying the research niche. Each move utilizes specific phraseological patterns to achieve distinct rhetorical purposes. The study highlights the distribution of contiguous and non-contiguous patterns and their multifunctional nature in conveying complex research-related ideas and issues. It uncovers how these patterns interact with rhetorical moves to create cohesive and persuasive introductions. This pilot investigation lays the groundwork for future research on phraseological patterns in scholarly papers, offering insights into the intricate relationship between language patterns and rhetorical structure in academic writing.

Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):296-319
pages 296-319 views

Gendered use of hedges in the discussion and conclusion sections of research articles

Alhuqbani L., Alhuqbani M.

Abstract

Following Lakoff’s (1975) claim that women hedge in speech more often than men, a large number of studies have investigated the role of gender in academic discourse and produced limited evidence, indicating the need for more research to highlight the role of gender in academic writing. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally examine how gender may affect the use of hedges in the discussion and conclusion sections of research articles. For this purpose, the study adopted Salager-Meyer’s (1997) taxonomy of hedges to qualitatively and quantitatively examine the types, frequency and gendered use of hedges in a small-scale corpus of research articles produced by 20 Saudi male and female researchers. The overall results showed that both genders employed Salager-Meyer’s taxonomy of hedges and used more hedges in the discussion than in the conclusion . Males hedged more than females, but the difference was not statistically significant except in certain cases, such as the use of two modal lexical verbs ( indicate and seem ) and the modal auxiliary verb ( must ). Moreover, the results revealed a marginal significant difference in the use of adjectival , adverbial and nominal phrases. Females tended to employ more of these hedges than their male counterparts. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between gender and hedging in academic discourse, and may guide postgraduate students towards the appropriate use of hedging devices in their research development. They also emphasize the need for further research on the role of gender across disciplines, languages and cultures.

Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):320-338
pages 320-338 views

Teachers’ responses to students’ homework complaints in e-mailcommunication: A cross-cultural perspective

Deveci T.

Abstract

While language teachers may assign additional homework based on their educational beliefs and institutional policies, learners’ responses, particularly complaints, are shaped by underlying cultural norms and expectations. The way teachers respond to such complaints reflects culture-specific styles of teacher-student interaction. This study aims to explore the lingua-cultural factors shaping teachers’ perspectives on homework, their complaint response strategies (CRSs), and the linguistic features of these strategies. Accordingly, this study examined the perspectives of 32 native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and 54 Turkish non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) on homework, as well as their strategies for addressing student complaints about homework in the Turkish educational context. Data were collected using a survey and a discourse completion task. Results indicated that both groups valued homework for reinforcing learning and improving achievement. NESTs prioritized student autonomy and self-directed learning, while NNESTs favored structured, guided assignments tailored to student needs. In responding to complaints, NESTs often used commiseration strategies, whereas NNESTs employed authoritative approaches, using imperatives, passive voice, and modal verbs. Despite these differences, both groups relied on guidance and explanation as their primary strategy, promoting constructive dialogue and resolving concerns. Results highlight the significance of considering the diverse pedagogical approaches adopted by NESTs and NNESTs, as well as the distinct linguistic choices they make in complaint responses, which reflect underlying cultural interactional norms and have implications for intercultural communication in language classrooms. It is important to appreciate these differences in order to foster a collaborative and culturally sensitive educational environment.

Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):339-361
pages 339-361 views

Invitations in Spanish and Russian communicative cultures: Sociocultural context and politeness strategies

Shorokhova E., Peña-Jiménez P.

Abstract

The realization of the speech act of inviting is susceptible to situational and sociocultural context. To issue an appropriate invitation, speakers must respect cultural norms and use politeness strategies accepted in each communicative culture. The aim of this study is to identify conventionalized linguistic patterns and politeness strategies common in the realization of everyday invitations in Spanish and Russian. The analyzed corpus consists of 662 written samples collected through the Discourse Completion Task. The samples correspond to three communicative situations with different configurations of pragmatic parameters of social distance and power. The study offers a taxonomy of most productive invitation formulae in Russian and Spanish, grounded in the proposals of Blum-Kulka et al. (1989) and García (2008). The analysis is based on the politeness theory of Brown and Levinson (1987) and supported by the worksheet of the ES.POR.ATENUACION project (Albelda Marco et al. 2014). The findings indicate the presence of similar tendencies in Spanish and Russian: when greater distance and/or higher status of the interlocutor is perceived, speakers give preference to deference politeness strategies, while solidarity politeness strategies prevail in situations of closer proximity. The predominant differences are observed in the selection of invitation sub-strategies. Despite being classified as solidarity cultures, each language exhibits distinct linguistic patterns.

Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):362-385
pages 362-385 views

Impoliteness in Javanese: Beyond breaching honorifics

Wijayanto A.

Abstract

Despite extensive studies on the correlation between breaches of Javanese linguistic etiquette and perceived impoliteness, scant scholarly attention has been given to understanding impoliteness resulting from violations of tata krama (‘proper social conduct’). The objective of this research was to identify the perspectives on impoliteness held by Javanese individuals, with a particular emphasis on the transgression of tata krama . Narrative inquiry was employed to collect the data of impoliteness events experienced by 158 native speakers of Javanese in Central Java, Indonesia. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken to examine impoliteness incidents they encountered in their daily lives. Thematic analysis, adopted from Braun and Clarke (2006), was utilised to analyse the collected data. The study found several overarching characteristics of impoliteness: breaches of honorifics, conduct against andhap asor (‘self-deprecation’), conduct against lembah manah (‘emotional restraint’), conduct against empan papan (‘decorum’), conduct of ora grapyak (‘unfriendliness’), conduct attacking self-worth and emotional well-being which formed the basis of Javanese impoliteness. This study reveals that impoliteness, as perceived by native Javanese, is characterised by a critical assessment of co-participants’ linguistic behaviour resulting from violations of linguistic etiquette and a lack of understanding. It manifests in two categories: unintentional and intentional. The study contributes to the understanding of Javanese impoliteness by exploring aspects beyond honorific language violations. It demonstrates how breaches in social behaviours and language etiquette can affect emotional well-being and social standing, leading to impolite communication.

Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):386-408
pages 386-408 views

Linguistic (in)visibility in Islamabad’s landscape: A nexus analysis of policies, practices and perceptions

Hussain T., Nasir M.H., Khan A.

Abstract

The linguistic landscape (LL) in multilingual communities often reflects the complex relationship of language policies, practices, and people’s perceptions of these policies and practices. This complex policy-practice-perception nexus leads to questions of linguistic inclusivity in contexts such as Pakistan. This study, therefore, attempted to find the nexus of spatial practices, language policies, and residents’ perceptions of language use in the LL of Islamabad. To improve the structure of the highlighted sentence, it may be rewritten as: Data included a sample of 1213 pictures collected from Islamabad; text from the Pakistani constitution, parliamentary debates, and political talk shows; and three focus group discussions with the local residents. A nexus analysis of the data (Hult 2018) was carried out to see the extent of correspondence among the three data sets. The findings revealed that English, Urdu, and Arabic remain the most visible languages (respectively) in the LL of Islamabad, and the indigenous languages lack visibility. The macro-level language policies were also found to promote the three languages, deeming them necessary for the constitutional and ideological makeup of Pakistan. The residents, too, tended to favour the use of these languages in the LL of Islamabad, despite their demonstration of affection for their native languages. The findings of the study have serious implications for the Pakistani indigenous languages, and indicate a need for inclusive language policies and awareness initiatives to protect linguistic diversity in Pakistan.

Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):409-431
pages 409-431 views

Derivative terms with the meaning of new social strata in English and Russian sociological discourse

Shkapenko T.M., Strelchuk E.N.

Abstract

In periods of social transformation, the analysis of neologisms introduced into academic discourse to denote societal strata possesses a particular linguistic and interdisciplinary significance. The article’s objective is twofold: firstly, to describe the cognitive-derivational models underlying the formation of the most recent sociological terms ( cognitariat , salariat , precariat ); and, secondly, to identify their functional idiosyncrasies within English and Russian sociological discourse. The data set, comprising 1950 microtexts of usage examples, was derived from sociological works by British, American, and Russian scholars, as well as frompublicly accessible internet sources. A comprehensive analysis was conducted, encompassing definitional, etymological, cognitive-derivational, contextual and functional-semantic methodologies. The study revealed that two primary models underpinning these naming processes: affixation, inherent in the formation of salariat and precariat , and blending, characteristic of cognitariat . The choice of relevant onomasiological features plays a decisive role in successful term formation. Denotative features that indicate thе type of activity or the source of income ( cognitive → cognitariat ; salary → salariat ) ensure terminological unambiguity and transparency of internal form. Conversely, incorporating the subjective characteristic of instability ( precarious → precariat ) introduces ambiguity in semantic volume and referential boundaries, justifying its interpretation as an artificial analytical construct. A close examination of the terms’ functioning in English and Russian discourse highlights distinct correlations with social groups and ethno-cultural perceptions. Western sociologists frame the precariat as a potential trigger for social conflict, whereas Russian scholars perceive this stratum as analogous to the middle class and a guarantor of socio-economic stability. The study contributes to the theory of terminology within the framework of cognitive-derivational modelling of sociological terms.

Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):432-456
pages 432-456 views

BOOK REVIEWS

Review of Carsten Levisen. 2024. Postcolonial Semantics: Meaning and Metalanguage in a Multipolar World. Berlin/Boston: de Gruyter

Habib S.

Abstract

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Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):457-461
pages 457-461 views

Review of Lily Lim and Defeng Li (eds.). 2020. Key Issues in Translation Studies in China: Reflections and New Insights. Springer: Singapore. 203 pp. eBook ISBN: 978-981-15-5865-8

Liu X.

Abstract

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Russian Journal of Linguistics. 2025;29(2):462-467
pages 462-467 views

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