LEXICAL-SYNTACTIC MEANS OF THE IMPLICIT ACCUSATION UTTERANCES

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of our article is o investigate the linguistic means of implicit accusation utterances, that carry the negative evaluation of the addresser in its semantic structure, as well as to analyze the syntactic models of accusation utterances of implicit type.

Methods. The following research methods have been employed in the paper: linguistic observation, pragmatic interpretation, descriptive method, discourse analysis, structural modeling and method of quantitative analysis.

Results. On the material of 1782 implicit accusation utterances it has been established that the accusation utterances of implicit type is expressed by means of lexical indicators represented by different parts of speech and phraseological phrases. However, the most frequent indicators of the implicit meaning of the accusation were the particles (28.3%): the intensifying particle “so” and the limiting particle “nur”. The addressee's use of the indefinite pronouns “man”, “jeder” to weaken the negative effect of the accusation in a conflict situation. Conventional forms of expression of implicit accusation utterances (using the pronoun „man“) are the forms represented by the formulas: a) „man + müssen / sollen + Verb; b) “man + können / dürfen + nicht + Verb”. Among the adjectives (6.3%) there are lexical units that name the negative feelings and emotions that the speaker feels in relation to the addressee or his actions. Structurally, the accusation utterances are represented by 28 syntactic models developed according to the criteria of an explicit / implicit form of their implementation. Syntactic models with the structure of the interrogative sentence (with “wh-words” or “Yes-no questions”): P (V Präs) + S? (24.8%) and FW + P (V Präs / Perf) + S? (17.4%) are mainly used for the implicit expression of the accusation utterances.

Conclusions. The research deepens our knowledge about the nature and mechanism of verbal accusation, modeling the processes of speech, allows to define the implicit accusation utterances as a particular communicative act, which regulates the behaviour of the addressee by performing the function of influencing.