APOLOGY IN BRITISH LINGUAL CULTURE

Abstract

The present article is devoted to the study of linguistic formulae with the semantics of apology. It shows that the most widely used apology formulae are as follow: (I’m) sorry, Excuse me, (I beg your) Pardon, various utterances with Apology. Most often, Apology is realized by the formula (I’m) sorry, which is observed in 90% of cases studied. This formula serves to express both sincere and routine (or ritual) apology, which is determined by the degree of the speaker’s repentance for the harm caused to the listener. The low semantic value of this formula is compensated by adverbs (so, very, terribly, really, eternally) and repetitions that form gradation. Apology is also realised by means of different utterances with apology, to express both sincere and formal apology, thus, avoiding ambiguity. The form Forgive me is not typical for expressing apology in British linguistic culture. It is used as a means of intensifying the studied speech act. Its pragmatic function is to strengthen the illocutionary force of apology and, as a result, convince the listener of the sincerity of speaker’s intentions. Linguistic formulae Excuse me and (I beg your) Pardon do not actually serve to express the apology itself. Excuse me (3%) is used to attract the listener’s attention. It also helps draw the listener’s attention to the negative action which is usually accompanied with a certain intonation image. Its pragmatic function is to establish contact. Repeated inquiries are expressed with (I beg your) Pardon, the use of which is fixed in 3% of the studied cases. Therefore, the analyzed linguistic formulae with apology semantics serve not only to express apology directly, but they also make up a small range of situations that require their use in British linguistic culture. Depending on the context of their functioning, these formulae lose the meaning of apology, however, they are used as a tool for performing a limited number of speech acts.