INTERPRETATION OF SOVIET REALITIES IN THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CRITICAL ART DISCOURSE

Abstract

The article provides the results of the study which aims to reveal the ideas about the Soviet state in the English-language critical art discourse. Taking into account the high level of ideologization of Soviet fine arts, Englishlanguage critics tend to interpret Soviet realities and give their own individual assessments of them. The study deals with discourse fragments containing evaluative statements and linguistic objectifications of interpretation of Soviet facts of life. The article aims to identify individual modes of interpretation of the Soviet political order, art – state relations and the peculiarities of national mentality and is carried out on the borderline between the cognitive, culturological and discursive approaches. The paper presents an algorithm of exploration and description of the categorial structure called by the author “interpretive block” which is viewed upon as a part of the cognitive space which fixes the process and the results of interpretation of certain real phenomena. The paper analyzes interpretive blocks which represent the ideas about the Soviet state apparatus, social stratification, and social opportunities. The study reveals that English-language critical art experts often consider Soviet realities in comparison with the social organization of western society and give it a negative assessment. The state is treated as a structure similar to the Sicilian mafia practicing methods of manipulation and intimidation on the territory which is under its control. In relation to the sphere of arts, the state is considered the dominant management authority which acts as a patron and establishes the relations with its clients based on censorship. At the same time, some positively evaluated social phenomena are mentioned, for instance, the education system which is considered a model for other countries. The results and the research materials can be used by cognitive linguistics, political linguistics and linguoculturology.