Abstract: Examination of functionality of the genres of religious functional style is a relevant direction of modern linguistic research, which is substantiated by the change of social situation in Russia at the turn of the XX – XXI centuries, and thus, the growing role of religion as a form of public consciousness and a type of human activity. Sermon is a genre that functions in the Russian language, which makes it understandable and influential. The author applies the categorical-textual method, which gives an objective perspective and determines the characterological features of the genre, perceived as a type of similar texts with a standard way of explicating text categories; it also allows identifying the signs of invariant and outlining the transformative trends in the genre of sermon, substantiated by the new communication channels. The sermons delivered during liturgy belong to the core of the genre and feature predominant reverent tone, thematic duality: mandatory spiritual theme, with explication of situational and sacred themes, and reduced explication of profane theme; classical compositional structure, where the main theme is accompanied by spiritual interpretation, comprising a compositional complex, while the situational theme serves for creation of a circular plot. Sermons delivered outside liturgy are attributed to the mediated distant communication, which employs modern media channels: television or Internet, which substantiated a way of explication of textual categories that differs from the invariant. Non-liturgical sermons are classified as periphery of the genre and characterized by prevalence of the preaching, and at times aggressive tone, implementation of profane theme in the text, and reduced role of sacred and spiritual themes. Compositionally, non-liturgical sermons are noted for optional introduction and conclusion, with situational theme, which is explained by usage of modern communication channels. The categorical-textual method allows observing the transformation of the genre of sermon from the core towards the periphery.

Keywords: composition, theme, sermon, genre, text categories, text, religious style, time, space, tonality

Abstract: The goal of this article is to present a brief analytical overview of the modern linguistic studies of memoir texts. The object of this research is the scientific works of the linguists of two recent decades dedicated to memoirs. The subject is the polemical questions in the linguistic descriptions of memoir texts. The article examines the problem of identification of genre status of memoirs and systematization of genre forming attributes of the memoir texts. Various approaches towards their classification are described. Special attention is given to the aspects of studying memoirs in modern linguistics. The key research method is the traditional for linguistics analytical-descriptive method for reviewing the scientific literature on the topic. The author proves heightened attention of the Russian linguistics towards studying memoir texts. It is revealed that the Russian scholars attribute memoirs to the documental, documental-fictional, or documental-publicistic genres, as well as propose various approaches towards their classification, which is substantiated by different interpretation of the concept of “memoirs”. It is also determined that multiple research of memoir texts are cross-disciplinary; however major attention is paid to linguopragmatic and linguopersonological aspects. Emphasis is placed on the memoirs of prominent writers, politicians, and military officers. The author acknowledges that the study of memoir texts in the linguoimagological aspect is promising. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that the acquired results give a systematic perspective on the problem of linguistic research of memoir literature as the Russian national heritage.

Keywords: interdisciplinarity, contemporary memoir, aspects of linguistic research, literary genre, speech genre, memoir text, memoirs, linguopragmatics, linguopersonology, linguoimagology

Abstract: The object of this research is the poetics of J. Brodsky's cycle “Part of Speech” as literary unity. The subject of this research is the subjective organization of poems included in the cycle “Part of Speech”. Special attention is given to the nature of value attitude of the lyrical object towards other characters depicted in poems of the cycle. Such attitude is viewed as an aspect of authorial artistic reflection and assessment of depicted reality. Following the footsteps of S. N. Broytman, the author interprets the lyrical object as a speech bearer, as well as the main (encompassing other) perspective on the world in the poem. The lyrical character is a supported character, being assessed by the lyrical object (lyrical characters include a “lyrical addressee” and “lyrical You”). The scientific novelty of this research consists in viewing the nature of value attitude of the lyrical objects towards other lyrical characters in the “Part of Speech” as an aspect of poetics of the cycle as literary unity (previous studies were dedicated only to separate poems of J. Brodsky’s cycle). The analysis of selected texts of the cycle indicates the specific nature of the relationship between lyrical object and other characters depicted in the poems: 1. the relationship of the lyrical object with other characters (the lyrical heroine, “You”, etc.) is built as an anti-dialogue, demonstrating total loneliness of the lyrical object; 2. The theme of loneliness in the cycle also intersects with the artistic images for yourself; 3. in the “Part of Speech”, the forms of indirect representation of the lyric object (when the lyrical subject refers to himself as another) also point at his self-centeredness, loneliness, and disruption of ties with others.

Keywords: artistic image, cyclization, lyric cycle, speaking subject, poem, lyric subject, lyric, non-classical art, lyric plot, poetics

Abstract: As of today, Big Data is the source of information that journalists can no longer neglect. Data sets, databases, unstructured data on the official websites of the government or commercial institutions are a resource for the work of journalists. Big Data is not only the source of information, but also the evidence base. Using quantitative and statistical indicators as the arguments for their theses, the journalists increases the level of audience loyalty and trust to the publication. Data analysis, establishment of correlations, making forecasts and ratings allows creative exclusive, attractive and reliable content that attracts the audience and improves reputation of the publisher. This article is dedicated to determination of the role of “big data” in the work of information and analytical departments of the publisher, as well as in coverage of the socially relevant topics and outlining trends in further work of the journalists with such information. Over the study period (from 2017 to the present) the author employed the methods of description, comparative analysis, and generalization. In conclusion, the author notes that the collection and processing of the data requires a strong approach and utmost attention of the journalists.

Keywords: research, visualization, fact-checking, social networks, massmedia, databases, data journalism, Big Data, digitalization, verification

Abstract: The subject of this research is the images of foreigners in I. S. Shmelyov’s stories of the earlier period “On the Seashore” and "Hassan and His Jeddi". The stories mark a neo-realistic period in the writer’s creative path, oriented towards depicting the social and everyday realities contemporary to the writer. The goal of this article lies in classification of the characters in the context of the theme of childhood. The belonging of the Turk Hassan and the Greek Dimitraki to a different ethnic and confessional culture, on the one hand allows conducting stylistic experiments to create a speech portrait of the Russian-speaking foreigner, while on the other hand figuratively indicates the diversity and unity of the universe. The novelty of this research consists in referring to the previously undeciphered and unpublished draft materials of the stories. The relevance of the selected topic is substantiated by the need for a more in-depth analysis of I. S. Shmelyov’s works of the earlier period, as namely them lay the foundation for the artistic philosophy and development of his writing style. Based on the comparative method and textual analysis, the article reveals the similar features of the foreign characters, which testifies to the fact that Shmelyov sought for the particular traits. The connection of foreign characters with the world of childhood (blood relationship or spiritual closeness with the child-character, retained childishness of perception of the world) resembles in their images the features of the chactachers of a righteous man and mentor, which were most fully described in Shmelyov’s works of the mature period.

Keywords: literature for children, hero righteous, герой-наставник, childhood theme, image of a foreigner, Shmelev, neorealism, spiritual realism, speech portrait, orthodoxy

Abstract: This article determines the frequency of using the elements of construction of the compound nominal predicate “copulative verb + participle” in the publicistic speech. Considering the fact that in the English language participle is divided into two types – participle I (present tense) and the participle II (past tense), the article explores the use of 12 copulative – appear, become, get, go, grow, feel, keep, look, prove, remain, seem, sound in combination with both types of participle. The author also examined the dictionary entries for the verb keep as most controversial in determination of the following infinitive form with the suffix -ing. The article provides the points of view of the linguists noting that the terms “gerund” and “participle I”, inherited from the grammatical tradition are unsuitable, and suggest to consider the infinitive forms (participle I and gerund) as the single -ing form due to somewhat overlap of their functions, homonymity  and difficulty in distinguishing them. Therefore, participle I, as an element following the copulative verb with the suffix –ing is designated in the article as -ing form. Using the methods of continuous sampling and quantitative analysis on the material of the British online news platforms, such as BBC News, The Guardian, The Evening Standard, and The Express, for the period from January 2020 to March 2021, the author established that in the constructions of the compound nominal predicate “copulative verb + -ing form”, "copulative verb + participle II” in the publicistic style texts, the most common copulative verbs are get, keep, feel, become, remain; participle II has the highest frequency as a binding element of the compound nominal predicate. The research involved 200,000 words.

Keywords: gerund, -ing form, participle, compound nominal predicate, frequency, the linking component (element) of the predicate, the nominal (linking) part of the predicate, copular verb, non-finite forms of the verb, publicist style

Abstract: This article is structured on the intersection of two paradigms, namely, two basic ideas – linguoecology and optimal teaching of Russian as a foreign language, which is dictated by the peculiarities of communicative and speech situation in Russia of the XXI century, a fundamental change in the category of normativity and expansion of the boundaries of usage, which actively includes all elements of the substandard. Thus, the development of lexical competence among foreign students becomes a pressing issue. The methodology of teaching Russian as a foreign language advances by deepening links with linguistics, at the current stage – with such important area of linguistic science as linguoecology. Over the past decade, linguistic ecology turned into an independent branch and clearly formulated its difference from cognate disciplines, such as rhetoric, stylistics, and speech culture. If the category of norm revolves around the concepts of “appropriate” / “inappropriate”, the ecology of language, or ecological linguistics, is concerned with the question of usefulness or harmfulness of a particular phenomenon for the language, its development and prosperity, in other words,  its “eco-friendliness”. Considering the fact that this direction is a new direction in linguistics, and even its basic terminology is yet to be established: the terms ecological linguistics, language ecology, linguoecology, and ecolinguistics are used in a close sense. However, the sphere of interests of the new direction is clearly outlines: on the global scale, this is the problem of endangered languages and cultures of indigenous small-numbered peoples, and within the framework of a living functioning language, these processes are destructive specifically for it.

Keywords: irregularity, corresponding to norm, teaching Russian as a foreign language, speech competence, ecology of the language, linguoecology, substandard lexis, borrowings, communicative situation, linguistic