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VERBALIZATION OF SPEECH ACTS USING THE LANGUAGE MEANS
"RECOMMEND" AND "RECOMMENDATION"
Shahlo Djurayeva
Teacher of SamSIFL
Ismoilova Bonu Ziyadullayevna
Student of SamSIFL
Abstract.
This article aims to examine the roles of the cognate terms "recommendation"
and "recommend," focusing on their semantic implications in the formation of speech acts. The
underlying principle posits that the semantics of these terms influence the involvement of various
linguistic elements in the execution of a speech act. It is proposed that these terms can be utilized
in the construction of the speech acts "recommendation," "advice," and "acquaintance," with the
latter being largely archaic and infrequently employed in contemporary Russian. The novelty of
this study lies in its inaugural exploration of the speech act "recommendation" within the Russian
linguistic context. In the speech act of "recommendation," the term "recommend" is deemed
irreplaceable by the term "introduce." Conversely, in the context of acquaintance through a third
party, modern Russian exclusively employs constructions featuring the verb "I introduce you to
someone." Furthermore, the concept of advice is solely articulated through the terms
"recommend" and "recommendation."
Keywords:
speech acts, recommendation, to recommend, directives, prospectivity,
advice, recommendation.
Introduction.
Rhaemalinguistics investigates the particularities of linguistic units within spoken discourse. The
national mentality shapes and prescribes the modalities of both verbal and non-verbal
communicative behavior within a society, thereby contributing to the formation of the national
identity of a specific group, which can be readily differentiated from others [1, p. 19]. The
speech act formulas generated by a given culture encapsulate the distinctive characteristics of its
mentality and cultural framework. The aim of this study is to analyze the potential speech acts
associated with the linguistic units "recommend" and "recommendation" in contemporary
Russian. The central hypothesis posits that the semantics of these terms constrains their
application to specific communicative contexts, namely "recommendation," "advice," and
"acquaintance." The corpus for this investigation comprises the modern Russian language,
supplemented by examples from Russian literature to facilitate a diachronic comparison of these
linguistic units. The exploration of potential speech acts derived from the linguistic units
"recommend" and "recommendation" in modern Russian has not been addressed in existing
scholarly literature. However, the speech acts "suggestion" and "advice" have been examined in
Z.S. Guseykhanova's article, “Cognitive-pragmatic features and contexts of functioning of
utterances with the meaning 'suggestion' and 'advice'” [2]. E.B. Petrova conducts a comparative
analysis of the speech act "advice" in both Russian and English, as detailed in her works:
“Pragmalinguistic analysis of the incentive act of reactive advice (based on the English and
Russian languages)” [3] and “Features of the embodiment of the communicative-pragmatic
category of politeness in the situation of reactive advice (based on the Russian and American
sociocultures)” [4]. It is noteworthy that a considerable number of studies concerning the speech
act "advice" primarily utilize data from foreign languages (such as English and German) rather
than from Russian. This includes research by O. Yu. Amurskaya, A. I. Rakhmatulina [1], and N.
A. Bigunova [5] focusing on English, as well as studies by E. B. Tarasova [6] and E. V.
Bodnaruk [7] pertaining to German. Regarding the speech act "recommendation," the only
relevant entry identified in G.A. Balakai's work is the dictionary definition of "recommendation"
[8, p. 403].
Now, let us examine the meanings of the terms "recommend" and "recommendation." The verb
"recommend," derived from the Latin term "recommendare," encompasses the following
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definitions: 1) to provide a recommendation; 2) to advise or suggest; and 3) to introduce
someone upon meeting [9, p. 719].
Based on these definitions, the verb "recommend" consequently generates the speech acts of
"recommendation" (first meaning), "advice" or "proposal" (second meaning), and "acquaintance"
(third meaning). The latter meaning is considered archaic in contemporary Russian usage. The
verbal noun "recommendation" is derived from the Late Latin term "recommendation." It
encompasses two primary meanings: 1) a favorable opinion regarding a person or thing, whether
expressed in written or oral form; and 2) advice or instruction. In its initial sense,
"recommendation" is frequently employed to enact the speech act of presenting a positive review,
as well as to convey the act of providing advice. However, despite its verbal nature, this term
does not encapsulate the meaning associated with the speech act of "acquaintance." In the
context of Russian communication, particularly in situations involving introductions through an
intermediary (a) or when recommending an individual to another (b), the synonymous verbs
"predstavitel’" and "recommendat’" are utilized. A comparative analysis of the frequency of
these terms in contemporary Russian suggests that "predstavitel’" is predominantly employed in
scenarios of acquaintance through an intermediary (a), as well as in the act of recommending one
person to another (b).
In linguistic terms, the verb "to recommend," when contrasted with "to recommend" in its first
sense (a), demonstrates a broader applicability. Conversely, in its second sense (b), constructions
utilizing "to recommend" exhibit a more extensive range of usage within the language when
suggesting one individual to another. The corresponding nouns derived from these verbs, namely
"presentation" and "recommendation," do not form a complete synonymous series; for instance,
in the phrase "Dam / Dayu rekomendatsiyu," the term "recommendation" cannot be substituted
with "presentation." Such a substitution is nonsensical and fails to convey the meaning inherent
in the original construction. Additionally, this construction is characterized by the performative
coordinates of "I," "you," "here," and "now." Regarding the speech act of "advice," the
contemporary significance of the term "recommendation" as it pertains to this act is primarily
realized in communicative exchanges among educated individuals who share similar
foundational knowledge and values, or within more formal communication contexts. For
example: 1) "I watched Bondarchuk's new film yesterday. I recommend it!" (a conversation
among friends); 2) "I would not recommend self-medication to anyone! It is fortunate that you
recognized the need for assistance and sought my help in a timely manner" (a doctor addressing
a patient). Thus, the application of the term "recommendation" and its synonymous verbs is
constrained by stylistic boundaries, either in terms of formal discourse or through stylistic
obsolescence.According to A.A. Formanovskaya, advice can be defined as: 1. the designation of
an incentive, representing a communicative situation in which the speaker informs the addressee
of the necessity to undertake specific actions for the favorable progression of their affairs; 2. the
aggregate of expressions that constitute the communicative-semantic pair of units denoting
advice; and 3. each expression through which the speech act of advice is executed.
Z.S. Guseykhanova posits that suggestive speech acts pertain to scenarios characterized by non-
binding motivation, wherein their effective execution is contingent upon the judicious selection
of methods to influence the interlocutor, thereby minimizing the speaker's intrusion into the
emotional and volitional domain of the communication partner. She further underscores the
significance of the speaker's prioritization as a distinguishing criterion between the speech acts of
"advice" and "proposal." In the context of the speech act "advice," Guseykhanova identifies a
notable asymmetry in the relationships between the communicants. Conversely, the speech act
"proposal" can manifest both symmetrical and asymmetrical dynamics between the speaker and
the listener.
Advice is classified as a directive speech genre; however, it transcends mere instruction or
directive regarding action. Primarily, advice represents the subjective perspective of the speaker,
reflecting their interpretation of certain phenomena and conveying this to the recipient. It
encompasses not only the speaker's personal experiences, reasoning, or reflections intended to
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influence the listener's thoughts or actions but also serves as a cautionary note, a warning, a
recommendation, or a professional consultation. Within the domain of communication linguistics,
the speech act "advice" is intrinsically linked to imperative sentences. An imperative sentence is
defined as a pragmatic utterance type aimed at prompting the addressee to engage in a specific
action, whether verbal or non-verbal. This type of sentence is characterized by distinctive
intonation, which varies according to the nature of the incentive being employed, such as an
order, request, advice, or warning. N.I. Formanovskaya, in her monograph "Speech Interaction:
Communication and Pragmatics," delineates "incentive" as a primary objective of the speaker,
encapsulating their expression of will while simultaneously serving as a motivation for the
addressee's action. This reflects a duality of intent, merging "I want" with "you must," which is
indicative of the semantic and syntactic complexity inherent in imperative utterances, described
as "two-subjective." In this context, the speaker proffers advice, which the listener is then
expected to act upon. In this study, the expression of motivation is articulated through the
performative form of the verb in the first-person singular (e.g., "I recommend") and plural (e.g.,
"We recommend"). These forms semantically convey the essence of motivation without
employing the specific linguistic mechanisms for expressing incentives as outlined by A.N.
Tikhonov. In the realm of speech act theory, it is essential to categorize speech acts based on the
underlying motivations of the speaker, particularly those that stem from the speaker's elevated
status, authority, or power. Such acts include orders, demands, commands, instructions,
prescriptions, admonitions, prohibitions, permissions, and coercive measures, collectively
referred to as injunctives. Conversely, there exist speech acts that are not contingent upon the
social attributes or standing of the speaker. A secondary classification criterion is predicated on
the perceived benefits or advantages associated with the proposed action. When the action serves
the interests of the speaker, it encompasses requests, entreaties, and similar acts, termed
requisites. In contrast, when the benefits accrue to the addressee, the acts include advice,
recommendations, instructions, recipes, proposals, and invitations, which are classified as
advisives. Specifically regarding the speech act of "advice," factors such as age, social status,
and religious hierarchy are paramount. The power dynamics between the superior and inferior
parties significantly influence the formulation of advisory expressions. The advantages of the
recommended actions for the recipient are typically evident, and the act of giving advice often
signifies the advisor's goodwill toward the advisee.
In relation to the speech act of "advice," it is pertinent to consider J. Leach's principle of
politeness. Politeness is conceptualized as the maintenance of a balance between expressions of
solidarity and the maintenance of relational distance. Positive politeness fosters solidarity, while
negative politeness emphasizes formality. In contexts characterized by positive politeness, terms
such as "politeness of solidarity" or "politeness of rapprochement" are employed, whereas
negative politeness is associated with "politeness of distancing." These approaches represent
overarching strategies of politeness aimed at achieving broad communicative objectives. The
speech act of "advice" accommodates both the principles of rapprochement and distancing. It is
crucial to refrain from intruding into the personal domains of interlocutors or offering unsolicited
advice. The execution of this speech act is significantly influenced by the speaker's authority—
considering factors such as age, social standing, and gender hierarchies—within the vertical axis
of relationships, as well as the degree of familiarity and amicability between interlocutors along
the horizontal axis of communication. In this context, the linguistic formulations associated with
the speech act of "advice" are predominantly situated within formal interactions, thereby
excluding informal exchanges along the horizontal axis.
Finally, the linguistic expressions associated with the speech act of "advice" often utilize the
terms "recommend" and "recommendation," which serve as foundational elements in the
construction of advisory formulas. Formulations of the speech act "advice," utilizing the verb
"recommend" and the nominal form "recommendation," concurrently affirm the speaker's
experiential authority regarding the advice being offered. Specifically, this mode of advice
conveys that the speaker has previously engaged in the recommended action and has derived
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either tangible or intangible benefits (as indicated by "I recommend," reflecting a positive
experience) or detriments (as denoted by "not a recommendation," indicating a negative
experience), which have been personally evaluated. For instance:
- "I recommend gathering evidence of the bank's unlawful activities, documenting the
damages incurred, and pursuing legal action" (NKRY). (a)
- "I recently finished reading Bukowski's 'Women.' I do not recommend it to women.
Fortunately, my commute on the metro allows me time to read" (Yulia Peshkova, NKRY). (6)
Positive experiential formulations of advice are often accompanied by adverbs such as
"urgently," "ardently," "very," or "with pleasure," as illustrated in the following examples:
- "Additionally, we purchased an orthopedic latex mattress for the girl; I highly
recommend it" (Our Children, NKRYA).
- "I would be pleased to provide a recommendation for Ariadna Sergeevna" (Samuel
Marshak, NKRY).
- "I strongly recommend reading this book..." (Sergey Dovlatov, NKRY).
- "Personally, I suggest that you at least attempt to begin; thereafter, progress will ensue."
- "I would be delighted to recommend that you consult Maria Vasilievna for your
daughter; she is an exceptional specialist in the field of surgery."
In instances of negative experience, advice formulations are constructed using adverbs
such as "no way" or "not at all." In such cases, the verb is employed in its negative form with the
particle "not." For example:
- "I do not recommend this author to you at all, although his works may be of interest." I
do not advocate for travel through Minsk, as tickets are likely to be more costly.
It is important to note that the speech act of "advice" may be contingent upon certain
conditions.
I suggest this film exclusively to individuals who possess a genuine interest in the subject
matter pertaining to school (NKRYA).
Such limitations are frequently articulated through subordinate conditional clauses, as
exemplified by the following statement:
- I recommend that you commence your studies now if you aspire to attend the Sorbonne
for the summer courses.
Speech Act of "Acquaintance":
Acquaintance can be defined as follows:
1. The etiquette framework governing interactions wherein previously unacquainted
individuals establish a relationship of familiarity.
2. The aggregate of communicative expressions that constitute the communicative-
semantic pair of speech etiquette units associated with the act of acquaintance.
3. Each expression utilized to execute the speech act of acquaintance.
The speech act of "acquaintance," facilitated by the verb "recommend," serves as an archaic form
of introduction and necessitates the involvement of an intermediary in the acquaintance process:
the speaker introduces the listener to a third party. In this context, the formation of the speech act
of "acquaintance" requires the participation of at least three individuals in the dialogue. A.G.
Balakai identifies several verb forms that convey the speech act of "acquaintance," including: "I
recommend you (to you) (someone)"; "I have the honor to recommend to you (someone)"; and
"Allow me (permit me) to recommend (someone, myself)." The phrase "I have the honor to
recommend you (someone)" is particularly prevalent when the addressee is male and the
interaction occurs within a formal communication context. In the neutral formulation "I
recommend you (you) (someone)," the performative coordinates of "I, you, here now" are
evident. In the imperative constructions "allow me" or "permit me," the imperative form is
notably absent. The formal nature of the communication environment in these instances
necessitates the use of the "You" form directed at the addressee, which is reflected in the plural
forms of the imperative verbs. Direct acquaintance may also be established through the use of
the reflexive pronoun "oneself" positioned after the verb "to recommend." In such cases, the
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speaker introduces himself to the interlocutor: "I recommend myself"; "Let me (allow) (you) to
recommend myself." This principle does not extend to the phrase "I have the honor to
recommend you," as the maxim of modesty, as articulated in
J. Leach's Principle of Politeness, precludes such usage. A synonymous construction is the
passive voice form of the verb, which is formed using the postfix "-sia": "I recommend myself";
"I have the honor to recommend myself = to be recommended"; "Let me (allow) (me) to
recommend myself = Let me (allow) (me) to recommend myself / to be recommended."
Consequently, the following conclusions can be drawn. The lexemes "recommendation" and
"recommend," as examined in this study, are frequently employed in the formulation of the
speech acts "recommendation" and "advice." These particular speech acts fall under the category
of directives, signifying an attempt to persuade the listener to act in accordance with the
speaker's intentions. In the speech act of "recommendation," the action taken by the speaker (the
individual making the recommendation) serves to benefit a third party (the individual being
recommended). In this context, the speaker's intention is to confer a benefit not upon the
immediate addressee of the speech, but rather upon another party, who may be either present or
absent during the discourse. In the latter scenario, the speaker shares personal experiences with
the interlocutor and subsequently advises them to undertake or refrain from specific actions.
Thus, the speech acts under consideration possess an incentivizing nature and exhibit a
retrospective quality concerning the subsequent actions of the addressee: the acceptance of the
third party's recommendation or the adherence to the interlocutor's advice. In addition to the
aforementioned speech acts, the terms "recommendation" and "recommend" can also give rise to
the speech act of "acquaintance." However, in contrast to the previously discussed speech acts,
the act of acquaintance lacks both retrospective and prospective dimensions. The action occurs
concurrently with the speaker's utterance of "I recommend" (or "I introduce"), thereby
facilitating the acquaintance in real time.
Conclusion.
Considering the materials and examples analyzed, as well as an examination of contemporary
Russian language usage, it can be concluded that the implementation of the speech act of
"acquaintance" is not particularly productive in modern Russian discourse and is characterized
by an antiquated tone. In such instances, the lexeme "present" is more commonly employed: "I
introduce you to our new employee."
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