Understatement – concept, notion or category?
https://doi.org/10.18384/2310-712X-2023-1-27-34
Abstract
Aim. To study and define the British phenomenon “understatement”.
Methodology. The main methods of research are descriptive and structural methods, component and definitional analysis.
Results. The study revealed that understatement represents a nationally specific communicative category which contains the attitudes and rules of speech behavior of the British and participates in the regulation of the communicative process. Understatement has a certain structure and includes verbal and non-verbal means of expressing communicative content aimed at harmonious, conflictfree communication.
Research implications. The theoretical significance lies in a clear definition of the British phenomenon “understatement”, identification of its speech strategies, linguistic and extralinguistic ways of expression. The practical significance lies in the possibility to use the results of the research in lecture courses in theory of intercultural communication, stylistics and general linguistics.
About the Author
E. V. Vlasova
Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Odintsovo branch
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Ekaterina V. Vlasova – Cand. Sci., Assoc. Prof., Department of the English Language
ulitsa Novo-Sportivnaya 3, Odintsovo143007, Moscow Region
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