Speech Etiquette of Russian Scientific Intelligentsia at the Turn of the 19th–20th centuries as exemplifid by A. A. Shakhmatov’s correspondence

Abstract

The article dwells on stylistic features of the epistolary genre of Russian scientific intelligentsia with A. A. Shakhmatov’s and his colleagues’ letters as a case of study. The letters were written at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries – the pivotal stage between the two empires – and demonstrate the corresponding authors’ scientific interests, social-political views, and their daily round. It is made clear that the etiquette of writing letters assumed empressement, namely: infallible form of address with the capital letter “You”, sending one’s regards and love to relatives, avoiding negative epithets, and making positive assessments even while describing negative circumstances. Swear words and demonstration of salient negative emotions were used by way of exception. As a rule, the authors’ outrage was expressed through punctuation (exclamation marks, dots). The epistolary genre of Russian scientific intelligentsia of the turn of the19th–20th centuries is a unique specimen of communicative acts civility and benevolence. With the authors’ death, the respective letter-writing style became obsolete. Apart from the messages stylistics, details of daily round and living conditions characteristic of the time concerned are taken into consideration. The content of the letters in question testifies to the fact that both prior and after the milestone year of 1917, Russian scientific intelligentsia lived in meager conditions. The authors wrote ever and again about their scanty financial situation, although it should be admitted that after 1917 their living conditions deteriorated significantly. It was that latter period that saw the greater part of negatively connoted lexemes and the first usage of swear words in the texts by certain authors. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that Russia’s intelligentsia of the period – that, ideally, was to ensure the nation’s progress – was not taken seriously by either of the authorities in power.