International journal

Speech Genres

ISSN 2311-0759 (Online)
ISSN 2311-0740 (Print)


For citation:

Babuk A. V. The speech genre of a criminal threat in online-communication. Speech Genres, 2024, vol. 19, iss. 2 (42), pp. 174-182. DOI: 10.18500/2311-0740-2024-19-2-42-174-182, EDN: ZIVPLQ

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0).
Full text:
(downloads: 270)
Language: 
Russian
Heading: 
Article type: 
Article
UDC: 
81’42:004.738.5
EDN: 
ZIVPLQ

The speech genre of a criminal threat in online-communication

Abstract: 

The author attempts to explore the threat as a speech genre of verbal aggression. It is argued that the threat is most often found in the texts of modern online-communication, the characteristics of which are close to a synthetic oral-written form of communication and the colloquial genre. It is emphasized that in modern studies the threat is researched from a legal and linguistic point of view. The author proves the idea that there are two main types of threat statements – a threat-warning, including a causal action, and a threatpunishment. A specific sub-genre of threat is a blackmail, which includes manipulation by means of information compromising the addressee. Semantically, the threat can be explicit, clearly expressed, and implicit, whose  interpretation requires an appeal to the logics of the statement. Implicit threat in online-communication is the most difficult type to research, since its interpretation involves analyzing the logic of constructing a statement by identifying linguistic techniques presented in the text – the use of euphemisms, idioms, semantic convolution, metaphors, sarcasm, precedent case reference and non-verbal components of communication (images, emoji. Implicit threat is studied using data from various explanatory linguistic dictionaries and fragments of texts submitted for forensic linguistic examination. It is reported that the genre of a criminal threat should be distinguished from other genres such as promises, orders, warnings, verbally expressed suicidal intentions, malevolence, a threat in a broad sense, and calls to a violent action.

Reference: 
  1. Aleksandrova Z. E. Slovar’ sinonimov russkogo jazyka: prakticheskij spravochnik [Russian synonym dictionary: Reference book]. Moscow, Russkii yazyk, 2001 568 p. (in Russian).
  2. Austin J. Word as action. In: New in foreign linguistics. Iss. 17. Moscow, Progress, 1986, pp. 2–129 (in Russian).
  3. Bagdasarjan T. O. Tonality as a component of the speech genre model (based an the material of the speech genre threat). Zhanry rechi: sb. nauch. st. [Speech genres: Coll. sci. arts]. Saratov, GosUNTs “Kolledzh”, 2002, iss. 3, pp. 240–245 (in Russian).
  4. Bakhtin M. M. Problem of speech genres. Bakhtin M. M. Collected works: in 7 vols. Vol. 5. Works 1940–1960. Moscow, Russkie slovari, 1996, pp. 159–206.
  5. Balashova L. V., Dementyev V. V. Russkie rechevye zhanry [Russian speech genres]. Moscow, LCR Publishing House, 2022. 832 p. (in Russian).
  6. Baranov A. N. Ugroza v kriminal’nom diskurse (semantika i pragmatika) [Threats in criminal discourse (semantics and pragmatics)]. Moscow, IC “Azbukovnik”, 2021. 219 p. (in Russian).
  7. Bezjaeva M. G. Semantika kommunikativnogo urovnja zvuchashchego jazyka: voleizjavlenie i vyrazhenie zhelanija govorjashchego v russkom dialoge [Semantics of the communicative level of the spoken language: The expression of will and desire of the speaker in Russian dialogue]. Moscow, Moscow University Press, 2002. 751 p. (in Russian).
  8. Bol’shoj tolkovyj slovar’ russkogo jazyka. Sost. i red. S. A. Kuznetsov [Kuznetsov S. A., comp., ed. Big Russian language dictionary]. Saint Petersburg, Norint, 2000. 1536 p. (in Russian).
  9. Brinev K. I. Spravochnik po sudebnoj lingvisticheskoj ekspertize [Forensic linguistic examination reference book]. Moscow, LENAND, 2020. 200 p. (in Russian).
  10. Dementyev V. V. Teorija rechevykh zhanrov [Theory of speech genres]. Moscow, Znak, 2010. 600 p. (in Russian).
  11. Fraser B. Threatening revisited. International Journal of Speech Language and the Law, 1998, no. 5, pp. 159–173.
  12. Galjashina E. I. Semiotics of emoticons and animated pictures in the aspect of forensic linguistic. Courier of Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL), 2022, no. 2 (90), pp. 41–48 (in Russian).
  13. Lutovinova O. L. Linguistic personality in Internet. In: Internet-kommunikatsiya kak novaya rechevaya formatsiya. Nauch. red. T. N. Kolokol’tseva, O. V. Lutovinova [Kolokoltseva T. N., Lutovinova O. V., sci. eds. Internet-communication as a speech formation]. 4th ed., ster. Moscow, Flinta, Nauka, 2018, pp. 124–138 (in Russian).
  14. McGovern G. P. Targeted violence: A statistical and tactical analysis of assassinations, contract killings, and kidnappings. London, New York, CRC Press, 2010. 270 p.
  15. Nazarova T. V., Grimailo E. A., Mamaev N. Yu., Korshikov A. P., Rostovskaya A. V. Linguistic study of oral and written texts. In: Dildin Yu. M., Martynov V. V., eds. Typical methods for examining material evidence. Part. I. Moscow, Forensic centre of the Ministry of Internal affairs of Russia Publ., 2010, pp. 243–292 (in Russian).
  16. Osadchij M. A. Russkij jazyk v sudebnom processe: Kniga dlja sudebnykh lingvistov-jekspertov, zhurnalistov, politikov, spetsialistov po reklame i PR [Russian language in forensics: A book for forensic linguists, experts, journalists, politicians, advertising and PR. 3th ed.] Moscow, LENAND, 2022. 256 p. (in Russian).
  17. Panchenko N. N. Blackmail: Speech act vs speech genre. Speech Genres, 2018, no. 2 (18), pp. 112–118 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.18500/2311-0740-2018-218-112-118
  18. Plotnikova A. M. Konfliktnaya kommunikatsiya v aspekte sudebnoj lingvistiki [Conflict communication in forensic linguistics]. Ekaterinburg, Moscow, TKhT, 2017. 197 p. (in Russian).
  19. Sedov K. F. Obshchaya i antropotsentricheskaya lingvistika [General and anthropological linguistics]. Moscow, LRC Publishing House, 2016. 439 p. (in Russian).
  20. Shushkov L. A. Tolkovo-ponjatijnyj slovar’ russkogo jazyka semanticheskikh grupp: bolee 16 500 slov i ustojchivykh vyrazhenij [Russian definitive dictionary of semantic groups: More that 16 500]. Moscow, OOO “Izdatel’stvo Astrel”, OOO “Izdatel’stvo ACT”, OOO “Tranzitkniga”, 2003. 768 p. (in Russian).
  21. Slovar’-tezaurus sovremennoj russkoj idiomatiki [Modern Russian idioms thesaurus-dictionary]. Moscow, Mir jentsiklopedij Avanta+, 2007. 1135 p. (in Russian).
  22. Steksova T. I. Treat as speech genre. In: Functional analysis of important language units: Interuniv. coll. of sci. words. Novokuznetsk, Kuzbassvuzizdat, 1992, pp. 6– 11 (in Russian).
  23. Voronets M. V. Teoriya teksta [Theory of a text]. Barnaul, Polzunov Altai State Technical University Publ., 2021. Visual electronic text (in Russian).
Received: 
19.05.2023
Accepted: 
18.07.2023
Published: 
31.05.2024