Phatic Speech Diachrony: Editor’s Welcome Speech in Russian Popular Science Journalism of the First Half of the 18th Century

Abstract

Early journalistic texts are important for a productive study of modern media texts communicative potential. The etitor – reader interaction patterns, in this case, must be considered diachronically. Modern popular science media texts show the genetic similarity with those of the early days of Russian periodicals. The research data and illustrative material have changed, but the composition, stylistics, manifestation of the author's personality, and the general intonation remain the same. The academic journal The Notes of the St. Petersburg Vedomosti (1728–1742) was the first Russian popular science periodical intended for readers who wanted to acquire knowledge about the world. The publishers of The Notes were well aware that interaction with the audience plays the most important role in articles of various information types. Since 1729 in the annual greetings to the reader (the modern "editor’s welcome speech"), phatic speech served as a powerful means of establishing contact with the audience. The phatic potential of the editor’s welcome speech provided the traditional combination of pleasure and usefulness, simplicity and accessibility of presentation. The main phatic features of the editor’s welcome speech included: an easy-going manner of conversation with the reader, the effect of personality-oriented conversations (friendly "you"), expression of concern about the reader’s interests in combination with information value and self-esteem, joking tone and intention to create a favorable communication atmosphere, formation of the friendly circle and association with the audience.