Direct and Indirect Expression of the Speech Act of Farewell in the Russian Cultural Environment

Abstract

This study was an attempt to investigate the direct and indirect expression of the speech act of ‘farewell’. The basic assumption is that the direct expression of the speech act of ‘farewell’ is less frequently used than the indirect expression. This form is common in personal settings or speech events characterized by conflict. The indirect speech act of farewell, on the other hand, covers a wide range of formulas used to say goodbye, and is more respectful and polite. The study aimed to answer the following questions. Which indirect speech acts are used in formal situations and which ones are used in informal situations? Which formulas are conventional (конвенциональный) and which ones are contextual-situational (контекстуально-ситуативный)? The speech act of ‘farewell’ has the role of maintaining relationships and demonstrates a respectful relationship to the situational addressee. Politeness can be conveyed through speech acts of “requesting permission”, “thanking”, “wishing” and “apologizing”. To answer the above-mentioned questions, over 200 usage samples of the speech act of ‘farewell’ were analyzed in the study.