THE COMMUNICATIVE STATUS OF TOPIC RECONTEXTUALIZATION

Abstract

This article presents a study of the communicative status of topic recontextualization in discourse. A context model is defined as a mental representation of the relevant parameters of a communicative situation in the episodic memory of the interlocutors which provides a thematic coherence of the communication. The study of context is understood in its organic connection with an object of the speaker’s thought, or topic, which makes it possible to reveal the cognitive structure of context and to analyze deeply the communicative status of recontextualization). Recontextualization is defined as a linguo-cognitive operation aimed at functional topic reorientation in the discourse caused by the change of the interlocutors’ perspective on the topic. The communicative status of topic recontextualization includes various communicative factors: spatio-temporal inhomogeneity, redistribution of communicative roles, side-participant presence and polytopicality of communication. Special attention is focused on the study of the lingual means that contribute greatly to topic recontextualization. Lexico-grammatical means function as indicators of retrospective and prospective reference. Communicative tactics of attracting attention, interruption and persuasion signal the redistribution of communicative roles. Speech phonation, the untimely completion of communication, topic change indicates the presence of a side-participant, either as a passive or an active communicative partner, joining in the topic recontextualization in the discourse. A coexistence of two or more topics within the communicative process marks its multiperspectivity.