Types and functions of intertextual references in the Russian State Duma

Abstract

The paper aims at a first typological and functional characterisation of xeno-quotations (intertextual references to external sources) in Russian parliamentary discourse based on 300 examples used by deputies of the State Duma. After a preliminary discussion of the Gricean-based background and its applicability to various contextual embeddings of quotations, the second section is devoted to methodological problems posed by the identification of the source and the delimitation of different types of sources. Next, a quantitative overview of the different types of sources attested in the sample is presented and illustrated by particularly intricate data; special attention is paid to salient preferences that seem to be most typical of Russian political discourse, such as proverbs, classical literature or animation films. The last two sections discuss the frequency of quotations per deputies, parties and “hot topics” and outline a wide range of open questions for future research.