Speech etiquette examples from life and literature. Formulas and typical situations of speech etiquette and communication

Concept and factors speech etiquette

Definition 1

Speech etiquette is a stable system of communication that ascribes to society the rules for establishing speech communication in order to maintain communication in a certain tone, respectively. social status, roles and positions, environment.

In a broad sense, speech etiquette performs a regulatory function in the process of communication (for example, communication by age status, youth or professional norms).

In a narrow sense, speech etiquette is a semantic field of the functional type of a polite behavior model in the following acts of communication: appeal, acquaintance, gratitude, request, apology, etc.

The richness of the synonymous series of units of speech etiquette is due to the contact of different social signs communicants in different social interactions.

Factors taken into account in speech etiquette:

• Pragmatic, a unit of etiquette, in which a speech act takes into account the principle of politeness and cooperation;
• Linguistic, differentiates the unit of etiquette as a word, phrase, correctly pronounced from the point of view of the language;
• The stylistic factor delimits the forms of communication among the public, generations, partners, etc.;
• Cultural, considers speech etiquette as an integral part folk culture and norms of behavior inherent in this territorial community.

Rules and requirements of speech etiquette

There are two types of communication rules:

• Forbidding - rules of conduct in a closed system of communication (in an organization, in a family, in a team, etc.);
• Advisory - the rules of verbal communication in an open system of communication (in society, on cultural events and etc.).

At the same time, requirements, prohibitions and recommendations are formed for the culture of speech behavior.

Speech requirements include:

1. Correctness and purity of pronunciation in accordance with the literary norms of the language;
2. Accuracy of speech in terminology and professionalism;
3. Relevance of speech in the choice of tone and style of communication;
4. Communication and expediency avoiding rudeness, tactlessness and unclear pronunciation;
5. The ethics of communication, taking into account the rules of treatment, consent and praise.

Speech prohibitions to avoid conflict situation and improve communication comfort include:

1. The ban on tonality (neglect, lisping);
2. Prohibition of expressions (rude, insulting);
3. Prohibition of gestures (intimidation, resentment);
4. Voice ban (stuttering, illegibility).

Commandments of communication and special cases

The main commandments of successful and productive communication, the main provisions of speech etiquette:

• Avoid verbosity and speech monotony;
• Speak simply, clearly, accessible;
• Know why and what to talk about;
• Know how to find mutual language with every person;
• Politeness is the basis of success in any sphere of human life;
• Learn to listen.

Special cases of applying the rules of etiquette:

1. Establishing contact is associated with ethical and kind treatment of others. The main word in this case should be “hello”, “greeting”, “good afternoon / morning / evening”. To attract attention, the use of phrases is allowed: “let me turn”, “sorry”, etc.
2. Appeal to the opponent. It is now considered more appropriate to address by name and patronymic, the position held. It is not allowed to point to personal characteristics communicant - his gender, age, faith, etc.;
3. Completion of the contact should leave a positive impression of the narrator. It is considered important not only to politely say goodbye, but also to leave words of gratitude, a warm atmosphere further cooperation or dialogue.

7.2. Speech etiquette formulas

Any act of communication has a beginning, main part and final. If the addressee is unfamiliar to the subject of speech, then communication begins with an acquaintance. In this case, it can occur directly and indirectly. According to the rules good manners It is not customary to enter into a conversation with a stranger and introduce yourself. However, there are times when this needs to be done. Etiquette prescribes the following formulas:

Allow (those) to get to know you (with you).

I would like to get to know you (you).

Let me (those) get to know you (you).

Let me get to know you.

Let's get acquainted.

Let's get acquainted.

It would be nice to meet you.

When visiting the passport office, hostel, admission committee educational institution, any institution, office, when there is a conversation with an official, it is necessary for him to introduce himself using one of the formulas:

Let me introduce myself.

My surname is Kolesnikov.

I am Pavlov.

My name is Yuri Vladimirovich.

Nikolay Kolesnikov.

Anastasia Igorevna.

If the visitor does not name himself, then the one to whom they came asks himself:

What is your (your) last name?

What is your (your) name, patronymic?

What is your (your) name?

What is your (your) name?

Formal and informal meetings of acquaintances, and sometimes strangers start with a hello.

In Russian, the main greeting is hello. It goes back to the old Slavonic verb to be healthy, which means “to be healthy”, that is, healthy. hello to the verb old times also had the meaning of “greet” (cf.: greet), as evidenced by the text of the “Onega epic”: “How Ilya Muromets comes here, and he lives the prince and princess.” Therefore, at the heart of this greeting is a wish for health. For the first time, the greeting hello is found in the Letters and Papers of Peter the Great 1688-1701.

Along with this form, a greeting indicating the time of the meeting is common:

Good morning!

Good afternoon!

Good evening!

In addition to common greetings, there are greetings that emphasize the joy of meeting, respectful attitude, desire for communication:

- (Very) glad to see you (greet)!

Let me (let me) greet you.

Welcome!

My regards.

Among the military, it is customary to greet with the words:

Hello!

This greeting recognizes the retired military.

Task 172. Write how you greet your family, friends, teachers, neighbors, director. Write with what kind of greeting your relatives, classmates, neighbors, teachers, acquaintances address you.

Task 173. Write, in your opinion, is there a relationship between the character of a person, his upbringing, position in society, mood and the greeting formulas that he uses? Justify your answer.

Task 174. Tell me, do the specifics of the situation, meeting affect the choice of greeting? Illustrate your answer with examples.

Task 175. Get acquainted with the greetings and say which of them contain additional information and which one?

Hello, dear Anatoly Evgenievich!

Hello Tolik!

Hello!

Great!

Good afternoon!

Hi.

Greetings!

Glad to welcome you!

Allow me to welcome you.

Let me greet you.

What a joy!

What a meeting!

Well, meeting!

Who do I see!

Ba! Who do I see!

What a surprise!

Is that you?!

The greeting is often accompanied by a handshake, which may even replace the verbal greeting.

However, you should know: if a man and a woman meet, then the man must wait until the woman extends her hand to shake, otherwise he only makes a slight bow,

The non-verbal equivalent of a greeting when those who meet are distant from each other is a bow with the head; swaying with hands clenched in the palms, slightly raised and stretched forward in front of the chest; for men - a hat slightly raised above the head.

The speech etiquette of greetings also provides for the nature of behavior, that is, the sequence of greetings. Welcome first:

Man - woman;

Younger (youngest) in age - older (older);

The youngest woman - a man who is much older than her;

Junior in position - senior;

A member of the delegation - its leader (regardless of whether the failure of the delegation or foreign).

The initial formulas of communication are opposed by the formulas used at the end of communication. These are formulas for parting, ending communication. They express:

Wish: All the best (good) to you! Goodbye;

Hope for a new meeting: Until the evening (tomorrow, Saturday). I hope we're apart for a while. Hope to see you soon;

Doubt about the opportunity to meet again; understanding that the separation will be for a long time: Farewell! It is unlikely that we will meet again. Do not remember dashingly.

After the greeting, a business conversation usually begins. Speech etiquette provides for several beginnings, which are determined by the situation.

Three situations are most typical: 1) solemn; 2) mournful; 3) working, business.

The first includes public holidays, anniversaries of the enterprise and employees; receiving awards; opening of a sports hall; presentation, etc.

On any solemn occasion, a significant event, invitations and congratulations follow. Depending on the situation (official, semi-official, unofficial), invitation and congratulatory clichés change.

Invitation:

Let me invite you...

Come to the holiday (anniversary, meeting ...), we will be glad (to meet you).

I invite you (you)...

If it is necessary to express uncertainty about the appropriateness of the invitation or uncertainty about the acceptance of the invitation by the addressee, then it is expressed by an interrogative sentence:

Can I (can I, can I, can I, can I not) invite you ... Congratulations:

Let me congratulate you on...

Please accept my (most) cordial (warm, hot, sincere) congratulations...

On behalf of (on behalf of) ... congratulations ...

With all my heart (with all my heart) congratulations ...

Warmly (warmly) congratulations ...

A sad situation is associated with death, death, murder, natural disaster, terrorist attacks, ruin, robbery and other events that bring misfortune, grief.

In this case, condolences are expressed. It should not be dry, official. Condolence formulas, as a rule, are stylistically elevated, emotionally colored:

Allow (allow) to express (to you) my deep (sincere) condolences.

I bring (to you) my (accept mine, please accept my) deep (sincere) condolences.

I sincerely (deeply, cordially, from the bottom of my heart) sympathize with you.

I grieve with you.

I share (understand) your sadness (your grief, misfortune).

The most emotionally expressive expressions:

What (big, irreparable, terrible) grief (misfortune) has befallen you!

What a great (irreplaceable, terrible) loss has befallen you!

What grief (misfortune) has befallen you!

In a tragic, mournful or unpleasant situation, people need sympathy, consolation. Etiquette formulas of sympathy, consolation are designed for different cases and have different purposes.

Consolation expresses empathy:

- (How) I sympathize with you!

- (How) I understand you!

Consolation is accompanied by an assurance of a successful outcome:

I (so) sympathize with you, but believe me (but I'm so sure) that everything will end well!

Don't despair (don't be discouraged). Everything (still) will change (for the better).

Everything will be good!

All this will change (cost, pass)! Consolation is accompanied by advice:

No need (need) (so) to worry (worry, upset, upset, worry, suffer).

You must not lose your composure (head, restraint).

You need (need) to calm down (to control yourself, to pull yourself together).

You should hope for the best (get it out of your head).

The listed beginnings (invitation, congratulations, condolences, consolation, expression of sympathy) do not always turn into business conversation sometimes the conversation ends with them.

In a daily business environment (business, work situation), speech etiquette formulas are also used. For example, when summarizing school year, when determining the results of participation in exhibitions, when organizing various events, meetings, it becomes necessary to thank someone or, conversely, to reprimand, to make a remark. In any job, in any organization, someone may need to give advice, make a suggestion, make a request, express consent, allow, prohibit, refuse someone.

Let's bring speech cliches that are used in these situations.

Acknowledgment:

Allow me (permit) to express (great, huge) gratitude to Nikolai Petrovich Bystrov for the excellent (perfectly) organized exhibition.

The firm (management, administration) expresses gratitude to all employees (teaching staff) for ...

I must express to the students of grade 10a (my) gratitude for ...

Let me (permit) express my great (huge) gratitude ...

For the provision of any service, for help, an important message, a gift, it is customary to thank with the words:

I thank you for…

- (Big, huge) thank you (you) for ...

- (I) am very (so) grateful to you! Emotionality, expressiveness of the expression of gratitude is enhanced if you say:

There are no words to express my gratitude to you!

I am so grateful to you that it is difficult for me to find words!

You can't imagine how grateful I am to you!

My gratitude has no (knows) no boundaries!

Advice suggestion:

Often, people, especially those with power, consider it necessary to express their proposals, advice in a categorical form:

Everyone (you) must (should)…

You should definitely do this...

Advice, suggestions expressed in this form are similar to an order or instruction and do not always give rise to a desire to follow them, especially if the conversation takes place between colleagues of the same rank. An incentive to act with advice, a proposal can be expressed in a delicate, polite or neutral form:

Allow me (let me) give you advice (advise you) ...

Allow me to offer you…

- (I) want (I would like, I want) to advise (offer) you ...

I would advise (suggest) you...

I advise (suggest) you...

The request should be delicate, extremely polite, but without excessive fawning:

Do me a favor, do (my) request...

If it's not hard for you (it won't make it hard for you)...

Do not take it for work, please take ...

- (Not) can I ask you...

- (Please), (I beg you very much) let me .... The request can be expressed with some categoricalness:

I strongly (convincingly, very) ask you (you) ...

Consent, permission is formulated as follows:

- (Now, immediately) will be done (done).

Please (permission, no objection).

Agree to let you go.

I agree, do (do) as you see fit.

In case of failure, the following expressions are used:

- (I) cannot (unable, unable) to help (permit, assist) ...

- (I) cannot (unable, unable) to fulfill your request.

At present, this (do) is not possible.

See, now is not the time to ask (make such a request)

Sorry, we (I) cannot (can) fulfill your request.

I have to forbid (refuse, do not allow).

An important component of speech etiquette is a compliment. Tactfully and timely said, it cheers up the addressee, sets him up for a positive attitude towards the opponent. A compliment is said at the beginning of a conversation, at a meeting, acquaintance or during a conversation, at parting. A compliment is always nice. Only an insincere compliment is dangerous, a compliment for the sake of a compliment, an overly enthusiastic compliment.

The compliment refers to the appearance, testifies to the excellent professional abilities of the addressee, his high morality, gives a general a positive evaluation:

You look good (excellent, fine, excellent, great, young).

You are (so, very) charming (smart, quick-witted, resourceful, reasonable, practical).

You are a good (excellent, excellent, excellent) partner (companion).

You know how to well (perfectly) lead (manage) people, organize them.

Task 176. Play the proposed role-playing situations. When discussing the completed task, pay attention to the behavior of its participants, their facial expressions, gestures, intonation, compliance with etiquette and speech rules.

a) You are an 11th grade student. You need to apply with a request to the director, teacher, one of the parents, friend.

b) You are the chairman of the youth organization "Tourist". Came to you: your classmate, an unfamiliar young man (girl), master of sports, representative of the company "Sport").

c) You are an employee of the administration. You need to ask by phone:

Veteran of the Great Patriotic War to take part in the celebration;

A scholar from a university to give a lecture in a college;

The head of the company to help improve the sports ground.

Any act of communication has a beginning, main part and final. If the addressee is unfamiliar to the subject of speech, then communication begins with acquaintance. In this case, it can occur directly and indirectly. According to the rules of good manners, it is not customary to enter into a conversation with a stranger and introduce yourself. However, there are times when this needs to be done. Etiquette prescribes the following formulas:

- Allow (those) to get to know you (with you).

- I would like to meet you (you).

- Let (those) get to know you (with you).

- Let me introduce you.

- Let's get acquainted.

- Let's get to know each other.

- It would be nice to meet you.

When visiting an institution, office, office, when there is a conversation with an official and it is necessary for him to introduce himself, the following formulas are used:

- Allow me to introduce myself.

– My surname is Kolesnikov.

- I'm Pavlov.

– My name is Yuri Vladimirovich.

- Nikolai Kolesnikov.

- Anastasia Igorevna.

If the visitor does not name himself, then the official himself asks:

- What is your (your) last name?

- What is your (your) name, patronymic?

- What is your (your) name?

- What is your (your) name?

In many countries, business cards have been used for a long time when meeting people. This has been practiced by us as well. A business card is served during the presentation. The one to whom they introduce themselves should take it and read it aloud, and then during the conversation, if it takes place in the office, keep the business card on the table in front of them in order to correctly call the interlocutor.

The mediator, determining the order of presentation and choosing an etiquette formula, takes into account the official position, age, gender of those whom he represents, and also whether they were previously acquainted or only one of them knows the other, heard about him before.

Performance is bilateral and unilateral. The latter occurs most often when the organizers of these meetings or those participants who are unfamiliar to all or part of the audience are introduced to those gathered for a meeting, conference, some kind of celebration, briefing, wind. Presentation formulas:

– Meet (please). Inna Sergeevna Novikova.
Anatoly Evgenievich Sorokin.

- I would like to introduce you to...

- I would like to introduce you...

- Allow me to introduce you to...

Sometimes after the performance, especially in an informal setting, the acquaintances exchange remarks:

– Very nice (happy)!

– (I’m) glad (happy) to meet you.

(I'm) very pleased to meet you!

Etiquette defines the norm of behavior. It is customary to introduce a man to a woman, a younger one to a senior, an employee to a boss.

Official and unofficial meetings acquaintances, and sometimes strangers, begin with greetings .

In Russian, the main greeting is hello. It goes back to the Old Slavonic verb hello, what does it mean to be healthy, i.e. healthy. Verb hello in ancient times it also had the meaning of "greet" (cf .: greet), as evidenced by the text of the Onega epic: “How does Ilya Muromets come here, and live he is a prince with a princess. Therefore, at the heart of this greeting is a wish for health. First time greeting hello found in Letters and Papers of Peter the Great 1688-1701.

Along with this form, a greeting indicating the time of the meeting is common:

- Good morning! Good afternoon! Good evening!

In addition to common greetings, there are greetings that emphasize the joy of meeting, respectful attitude, desire for communication:

- (Very) glad to see you (greet)!

- Allow me to welcome you.

- Welcome!

- My regards.

- Hello!

This greeting recognizes the retired military.

The greeting is often accompanied by a handshake, which may even replace the verbal greeting.

However, you should know: if a man and a woman meet, then the man must wait until the woman extends her hand to shake, otherwise he only makes a slight bow.

The non-verbal equivalent of a greeting when those who meet are distant from each other is a bow with the head; swaying with hands clenched in the palms, slightly raised and stretched forward in front of the chest; for men - a hat slightly raised above the head.

The speech etiquette of greetings also provides for the nature of behavior, i.e. greeting order. First to be greeted

- man - woman;

- younger (youngest) in age - older (older);

- the youngest woman - the man who
much older than her;

- junior in position - senior;

- a member of the delegation - its head (independently - its own
delegation or foreign).

The initial formulas of communication are opposed by the formulas used at the end of communication. These are formulas for parting, ending communication. They express

- wish: All the best (good) to you! Goodbye!

- hope for a new meeting: Until the evening (tomorrow, Saturday). I hope we're apart for a while. I hope to see you soon;

- doubt about the possibility of meeting again; parting will be for a long time: Farewell! It is unlikely that we will meet again. Do not remember dashingly.

After the greeting, a business conversation usually begins. Speech etiquette provides for several beginnings, which are determined by the situation. Three situations are most typical: 1) solemn; 2) mournful; 3) working, business.

The first one includes public holidays, anniversaries of the enterprise and employees; receiving awards; opening an office, shop; presentation; conclusion of an agreement, contract, etc.

On any solemn occasion, a significant event, invitations and congratulations follow. Depending on the situation (official, semi-official, unofficial), invitation and congratulatory clichés change.

Invitation:

- Allow (allow) to invite you ...

- Come to the holiday (anniversary, meeting ...), we will be glad (to meet you).

- I invite you (you) ...

If it is necessary to express uncertainty about the appropriateness of the invitation or uncertainty about the acceptance of the invitation by the addressee, then it is expressed by an interrogative sentence:

- Can I (can I, can I, can I, can I not) invite you ...

Congratulation:

- Allow me (let me) congratulate you on ...

- Please accept my (most) cordial (warm, warm, sincere) congratulations ...

- On behalf of (on behalf of) ... congratulations ...

- With all my heart (with all my heart), congratulations ...

- Warmly (warmly) congratulations ...

A sad situation is associated with death, death, murder, natural disaster, terrorist attacks, ruin, robbery and other events that bring misfortune, grief.

In this case, it is expressed condolences . It should not be dry, official. The formulas of "condolences", as a rule, are stylistically elevated, emotionally colored:

- Allow (allow) to express (to you) my deep (sincere) condolences.

- I bring (to you) my (accept mine, please accept my) deep (sincere) condolences.

- I sincerely (deeply, cordially, from the bottom of my heart) sympathize with you.

- I mourn with you.

- I share (understand) your sadness (your grief, misfortune).

The most emotionally expressive expressions:

- What a (big, irreparable, terrible) grief (misfortune) has fallen on you!

- What a great (irreplaceable, terrible) loss has befallen you!

- What grief (misfortune) has befallen you.

In a tragic, mournful or unpleasant situation, people need sympathy, consolation. Etiquette formulas of sympathy, consolation are designed for different occasions and have different purposes.

Consolation expresses empathy:

- (How) I sympathize with you!

- (How) I understand you!

Consolation is accompanied by an assurance of a successful outcome:

- I (so) sympathize with you, but, believe me (but I am so sure), that everything will end well!

- Do not fall into despair (do not lose heart). Everything (still) will be imputed (for the better).

- Everything will be good!

– All this will change (it will cost, it will pass)! Consolation is accompanied by advice:

- No need (need) (so) to worry (worry, upset, upset, worry, suffer).

- You must not lose your composure (head, endurance) -

- You need (need) to calm down (to control yourself, pull yourself together).

– You should hope for the best (get it out of your head).

The listed beginnings (invitation, congratulations, condolences, consolation, expression of sympathy) do not always turn into business communication - sometimes the conversation ends with them.

In a daily business environment (business, work situation), speech etiquette formulas are also used. For example, when summarizing the work; when determining the results of the sale of goods or participation in exhibitions, when organizing various events, meetings, it becomes necessary to thank someone or, conversely, to reprimand, to make a remark. At any job, in any organization, someone may need to give advice, make a suggestion, make a request, express consent, allow, prohibit, refuse someone.

Here are the speech clichés that are used in these situations.

Expression of gratitude :

- Let (allow) express (big, huge);
thanks to Nikolai Petrovich Bystrov for the excellent (perfectly) organized exhibition.

– The firm (management, administration) expresses its gratitude to all employees (teaching staff) for...

- I must express my gratitude to the head of the supply department for ...

- Allow (permit) to express great (huge): gratitude ...;

For the provision of any service, for help, an important message, a gift, it is customary to thank with the words:

- I thank you for...

- (Big, huge) thank you (you) for ...

- (I) am very (so) grateful to you!

Emotionality, expressiveness of the expression of gratitude is enhanced if you say:

There are no words to express my (my) gratitude to you!

“I am so grateful to you that it is hard for me to find words!”

You can't imagine how grateful I am to you

– My gratitude has no (He knows) no boundaries!

Note, warning:

- The company (management, board, editorial office) is forced to send a (serious) warning (remark) ...

- To (great) regret (chagrin), I must (forced) to make a remark (to reprimand) ...

Often people, especially those in positions of power, find it necessary to express their suggestions, advice in categorical form:

- All (you) are obliged (should) ...

- You should definitely do this...

Advice, suggestions expressed in this form are similar to an order or order and do not always give rise to a desire to follow them, especially if the conversation takes place between colleagues of the same rank. An incentive to act with advice, a proposal can be expressed in a delicate, polite or neutral form:

- Allow me (let me) give you advice (advise you) ...

- Allow me to offer you...

- (I) want (I would like, I want) to advise (offer) you ...

I would advise (suggest) you...

I advise (suggest) you...

Handling request should be delicate, extremely polite, but without excessive fawning:

Do me a favor, do (my) request...

- If it’s not difficult for you (it won’t bother you) ...

- Do not take it for work, please take ...

– (Not) can I ask you...

- (Please), (I beg you) let me ...
The request can be expressed with some categoricalness:

- I strongly (convincingly, very) ask you (you) ...

consent, permission is formulated as follows:

- (Now, immediately) will be done (done).

- Please (I allow, I do not mind).

- I agree to let you go.

- I agree, do (do) as you think.
In case of failure expressions are used:

- (I) cannot (unable, unable) to help (allow, assist).

- (I) cannot (unable, unable) to fulfill your request.

- It is not possible at present.

- Understand, now is not the time to ask (apply with such a request).

- I'm sorry, but we (I) cannot (can) fulfill your request.

- I have to forbid (refuse, do not allow).

Among business people of any rank, it is customary to resolve issues that are especially important for them in a semi-official setting. To do this, hunting, fishing, going out into nature are arranged, followed by an invitation to the dacha, to a restaurant, to a sauna. In accordance with the situation, speech etiquette also changes, it becomes less official, acquires a relaxed emotionally expressive character. But even in such an environment, subordination is observed, a familiar tone of expressions, speech "licentiousness" is not allowed.

An important component of speech etiquette is compliment. Tactfully and timely said, it cheers up the addressee, sets him up for a positive attitude towards the opponent. A compliment is said at the beginning of a conversation, at a meeting, acquaintance or during a conversation, at parting. A compliment is always nice. Only an insincere compliment is dangerous, a compliment for the sake of a compliment, an overly enthusiastic compliment.

Compliment refers to appearance, testifies to the excellent professional abilities of the addressee, his high morality, gives an overall positive assessment:

- You look good (excellent, excellent, excellent, excellent, young).

- You do not change (have not changed, do not age).

- You are (so, very) charming (smart, quick-witted, resourceful, reasonable, practical).

– You are a good (excellent, excellent, excellent) specialist (economist, manager, entrepreneur, companion).

- You are good (excellent, excellent, excellent) in managing (your) household (business, trade, construction).

- You know how to manage (manage) people well (perfectly), organize them.

- It is pleasant (good, excellent) to deal with you (work, cooperate).

Communication presupposes the presence of another term, another component that manifests itself throughout the entire duration of communication, is its integral part, serves as a bridge from one remark to another. And at the same time, the norm of use and the very form of the term have not been finally established, cause controversy, and are a sore spot in Russian speech etiquette.

This is eloquently stated in a letter published in " Komsomolskaya Pravda"(24.01.91) for Andrew's signature. They placed a letter under the title "Superfluous people." Here it is without abbreviations:

We, probably, in the only country in the world do not have people turning to each other. We don't know how to address a person! Man, woman, girl, granny, comrade, citizen - pah! Or maybe a female face, a male face! It's easier - hey! We are nobody! Not for the state, not for each other!

The author of the letter in an emotional form, quite sharply, using the data of the language, raises the question of the position of a person in our state. Thus, the syntactic unit - appeal - becomes a socially significant category.

To understand this, it is necessary to comprehend what is the peculiarity of the address in the Russian language, what is its history.

From time immemorial, conversion has performed several functions. The main one is to attract the attention of the interlocutor. This is a vocative function.

Since they are used as proper names as addresses (Anna Sergeevna, Igor, Sasha), and the names of people according to the degree of kinship (father, uncle, grandfather) by position in society, by profession, position (president, general, minister, director, accountant), by age and gender (old man, boy, girl) the appeal, in addition to the vocative function, indicates the corresponding feature.

Finally, appeals can be expressive and emotionally colored, contain an assessment: Lyubochka, Lyubka, blockhead, dumbass, klutz, varmint, clever, beautiful. The peculiarity of such appeals lies in the fact that they characterize both the addressee and the addressee himself, the degree of his upbringing, attitude towards the interlocutor, emotional state.

The given address words are used in an informal situation, only some of them, for example, proper names(in their basic form), the names of professions, positions serve as appeals in official speech.

hallmark officially accepted appeals in Russia was a reflection of the social stratification of society, such characteristic feature like chivalry.

Isn't that why the root in Russian rank turned out to be fruitful, giving life

- words: official, bureaucracy, dean, deanery, chinolyubie, chivalry, clerk, clerkship, disorderly, outrageous, clerk-destroyer, chinobuster, clerk, thief, chino, chivalry, under
to do, submission;

- phrases: out of order, distribute according to order, orderly, big rank, without disassembling the ranks, not in order, rank by rank;

- proverbs: Read the rank of rank, and menyuy sit on the edge; Bullet ranks do not parse; To a fool, to a great rank, space is everywhere; As many as two ranks: a fool and a fool; And he would have been in, but it's a pity, his pockets are empty.

The formulas of dedications, appeals and signatures of the author himself, which were cultivated in the 18th century, are also indicative. For example, the work of M.V. Lomonosov "Russian Grammar" (1755) begins with a dedication:

To His Most Serene Sovereign, Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, Duke of Holstein-Ischezwig, Storman and Dietmar, Count of Oldenburg and Dolmangor and others, most merciful sovereign ...

Then comes the call:

Most Serene Sovereign, Grand Duke, most gracious sir!

And the signature:

your his imperial majesty the most humble slave Mikhailo Lomonosov.

social stratification society, the inequality that existed in Russia for several centuries was reflected in the system of official appeals.

First, there was the document "Table of Ranks", published in 1717-1721, which was then republished in a slightly modified form. It listed the military (army and navy), civil and court ranks. Each category of ranks was divided into 14 classes. So, to the 3rd class belonged lieutenant general, lieutenant general; vice admiral; secret adviser; the marshal, the master of ceremonies, the master of the chasseur, the chamberlain, the chief master of ceremonies; to the 6th grade - colonel; captain of the 1st rank; collegiate adviser; cameras-furier; to the 12th grade - cornet, cornet; midshipman; provincial secretary.

In addition to the named ranks, which determined the system of appeals, there were appeals your excellency, your excellency, your excellency, your highness, your majesty, most gracious (gracious) sovereign; sovereign and etc.

Secondly, the monarchical system in Russia until the 20th century retained the division of people into estates. For a class-organized society, a hierarchy in rights and duties, class inequality and privileges were characteristic. Estates were distinguished: nobles, clergy, raznochintsy, merchants, philistines, peasants. Hence the appeals sir, madam towards privileged people social groups; sir, sir- for the middle class or barin, lady for those and others, and the lack of a single appeal to representatives of the lower class. You would be ashamed!" (Kome. pr. 11/18/77).

In the languages ​​of other civilized countries, unlike Russian, there were appeals that were used both in relation to a person occupying a high position in society, and to an ordinary citizen. : mr, mrs, miss(England, USA), senor, senora, senorita(Spain), signor, signora, signorina(Italy), sir, sir(Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia).

After October revolution all the old ranks and titles are abolished by a special decree. Universal equality is proclaimed. Appeals mister– mistress, gentleman - mistress, sir - madam, gracious sovereign (empress) gradually disappear. Only diplomatic language preserves the formulas of international courtesy. So, the heads of monarchical states are addressed: Your Majesty, Your Excellency; foreign diplomats continue to be called sir - madam.

Instead of all appeals that existed in Russia, starting from 1917-1918, appeals citizen and comrade. The history of these words is remarkable and instructive.

Word citizen recorded in the monuments of the XI century. It came to the Old Russian language from the Old Slavonic language and served as a phonetic version of the word city ​​dweller. Both of them meant "resident of the city (city)". In this meaning citizen found in texts related to XIX century. In the XVIII century, this word acquires the meaning of "a full member of society, the state."

Can a state where two-thirds of the citizens are deprived of their civil status and partly dead in law, be called blessed?

Word citizen with new content becomes widespread in the 19th century, as evidenced by the work of outstanding poets and writers:

You may not be a poet, but you must be a citizen!

Be a citizen! Serving art, Live for the good of your neighbor (I.A. Nekrasov)

In the 20-30s. a custom appeared, and then it became the norm when addressing arrested, imprisoned, tried to employees of law enforcement agencies and vice versa not to speak comrade, only citizen: citizen under investigation, citizen judge, citizen prosecutor.

As a result, the word citizen for many it has become associated with detention, arrest, police, prosecutors

The negative association gradually "grown" to the word so that it became its integral part, so rooted in people's minds that it became impossible to use the word citizen as a general term.

The fate of the word was somewhat different comrade. It is recorded in the monuments of the XV century. Known in Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Upper Lusatian and Lower Lusatian. AT Slavic languages this word came from the Turkic, in which the root tavar meant "property, livestock, goods." Probably originally comrade meant "companion in trade". Then the meaning of this word is expanded: comrade- not only a "companion", but also a "friend". Proverbs testify to this: On the road, son to father comrade, Smart comrade– half way; Stay away from a friend– become without a friend; The poor man is not a friend to the rich; The servant of the master is not a friend.

With the growth of the revolutionary movement in Russia in early XIX century word comrade, as the word once citizen, acquires a new socio-political meaning: "a like-minded person fighting for the interests of the people."

In the speech of the clergy, officers of the tsarist army, the raznochintsy intelligentsia continue to use appeals: your excellency, your excellency, your honor, gentlemen officers, mister lieutenant, gentlemen.

In the following years of Soviet power the word comrade was especially popular.

It seemed that conversion was a matter of upbringing, taste, and culture. However, in a socialist society, by the way a person is addressed, one can judge his political orientation, ideology, and class affiliation. The appeal, as it were, immediately determined the status of a citizen: if comrade, then, therefore, ours, ideologically tested, class-pure. Mister- here attention, this can be suspected of everything: counter-revolutionary, exploitative inclinations, anti-communism. citizen- there is a clear criminal connotation here. There was a comrade, but a citizen under investigation became.

After Patriotic War word comrade gradually begins to emerge from the everyday informal appeal of people to each other.

The problem arises: how to contact a stranger? The issue is being discussed on the pages of the press, in radio broadcasts. Philologists, writers express their opinion, public figures. Offer to revive appeals sir, sir.

The results of the observations were: young woman– 25 people grandma, granny(from 20 to 25 years old) - 7, darling - 3, female– 10, mother(from 30 to 35 years old) - 6, little sister– 1, aunt, aunt(teenagers) - 7, respected(elderly person) - 1, saleswoman - 3.

On the street, in the store, in public transport, the appeal is increasingly heard man, woman, grandfather, father, granny, boyfriend, aunt, uncle.

Such appeals are not neutral. They can be perceived by the addressee as disrespect for him, even an insult, unacceptable familiarity. Hence, rudeness in response, an expression of resentment, a quarrel are possible.

Since the end of the 80s. in an official setting, appeals began to be revived sir, madam, lord, madam.

History repeats itself. Like in the 20s and 30s. appeals mister and comrades had a social coloring, and in the 90s. they confronted each other again.

AT recent times appeal sir, madam is perceived as the norm at meetings of the Duma, in television programs, at various symposiums and conferences. In parallel with this, at meetings of government officials, political figures with the people, as well as at rallies, speakers began to use appeals Russians, fellow citizens, compatriots. Among civil servants, businessmen, entrepreneurs, university professors, the appeal is becoming the norm sir, madam in combination with the surname, title of position, rank. Difficulties arise if the director, professor is a woman. How to apply in this case: mr professor or Miss Professor!

Appeal comrade continue to be used by the military, members of communist parties, as well as in many factory teams. Scientists, teachers, doctors, lawyers prefer words colleagues, friends. Appeal respected, respected found in the speech of the older generation. The words female Male, which have recently become widespread in the role of an appeal, violate the norm of speech etiquette, testify to the insufficient culture of the speaker. In this case, it is preferable to start a conversation without appeals, using etiquette formulas: be kind..., be kind..., sorry..., sorry......

Thus, the problem of commonly used address in an informal setting remains open. It will be resolved only when every citizen of Russia learns to respect himself and treat others with respect, when he learns to defend his honor and dignity, when he becomes a person, when it doesn’t matter what position he holds, what his status is. It is important that he is a citizen of the Russian Federation. Only then, none of the Russians will feel awkward and embarrassed if they call him or he calls someone sir, madam.