The research deals with two related genres, representing the periphery of the contemporary system of speech genres. The otgovorka is a genre of children’s folklore, reflecting a specific form of children’s communicative behavior. It allows to defend oneself against verbal aggression with the help of a certain list of cliched (most often rhymed) texts well known in children’s subculture. In the speech of adults it corresponds to the otgovor - a genre uncharacteristic of literary speech, the sphere of its usage is folk culture.