Aim. The paper analyzes the mechanism behind the change in the forms of speech utterances during communication in Russian in order to increase solidarity between interlocutors. Methodology. The investigation focuses on analysis, synthesis and mental modeling as research methods and relies on the Russian language material. Results. It is found that solidarity, expressed in addresses and lexemes marking a social distance, is verbalized using two components: the lexical form of address and the regularity of its use. The dual role of marker words is also shown, which consists both in pointing out a close social distance and in initiating rapprochement between interlocutors. Research implications. A mechanism is identified for achieving solidarity with the help of addresses and similar words. The obtained results can be used in modeling experiments to study the achievement of solidarity in the Russian language material.

Aim. We identify the features of the manifestation of the connotative meanings of zoonyms, depending on the role of words in the logical structure of a sentence. The linguistic material of the research is the satirical and lyrical poems of Sasha Chorny. Methodology. Using the method of continuous sampling, sentences with zoonyms, which implement the functions of the main members of the sentence, are extracted, and their structural and semantic analysis is carried out. Use is also made of the methods of observation, generalization and interpretation. Results. The dependence of the position of the zoonym in the logical structure of the sentence on the possible contextual connotations of the zoonym is revealed. Research implications. A contribution is made to the linguistic description of the poetic language of Sasha Chorny and to the study of the peculiarities of the functioning of connotations in a literary text. Research materials can be used to teach philological disciplines.

Aim. We study the role of the nomination of teacher in F. Vigdorova’s literary texts written in the period from 1950 to 1960. Methodology. The paper considers the frequency of the use of the lexeme teacher and its word forms, as well as their lexicographic data; the word-formation nest root -teach- is analyzed from the point of view of the semantics of the components; functional equivalents of the nomination of teacher are revealed. The research relies on the following methods: linguistic observation and description, statistical calculation, elements of component analysis, and interpretation. Results. It is found that the category of teacher forms the basis of the value core of the mental-lingual complex of the linguistic personality of F. Vinogradova; her pragmatically motivated choice in the novels, which translates the ambivalence of the teacher's assessment in the light of the revealed connotations, indicates a steady need to use this lexeme in order to show the image of an ideal teacher, as well as the shortcomings of the current education system. On the pages of the studied literary texts, F. Vigdorova’s dominant idiostyle feature, i.e. autobiography, manifests itself. Research implications. The theoretical significance of the work is to expand the understanding of the specifics of the worldview of F. Vigdorova as a language personality and to find out the peculiarities of the explication of the writer’s idiostyle.

Aim. The goal of the paper is to describe the onomastic space of Bulat Okudzhava’s poetry. Methodology. We consider the names of poets and writers of different epochs, which occupy the position of the central image in the poetic works of B. Okudzhava. Results. It is shown that the nuclear zone of the onomastic space of B. Okudzhava's lyrics is made up of anthroponyms, including the names of poets and writers. These lexical units represent an artistic image of a poetic work and perform a text-forming function. Research implications. The results of the work can be used both in further research of literary anthroponyms and in teaching integrated disciplines.

Aim. The purpose of this work is to consider experiments with genres (or types of texts) of Old Russian literature in Boris Akunin’s story “Boh and Shelma”, which is part of the author’s “literary convoy” of the project “History of the Russian State”. Methodology. In the course of the research, genre definitions are presented and analyzed, which are given to individual chapters of the story by the author and which directly or indirectly correlate with the Old Russian system of genres (types of texts). Results. As a result of the study, attention is paid to the playful nature of most of the genre definitions used by Boris Akunin as headings to the sections of the story “Boh and Shelma”. The playful beginning is manifested in the form of a play of words, deception of readers' expectations, contrast at the level of form and content, etc. Research implications. The results of the research contribute to the study of the theory and practice of the modern literary process.

Aim. We study of the evolution of the ‘real’ author and the image of the ‘fictional’ writer created by L. M. Leonov in three editions of the novel “The Thief”. Methodology. All editions of the novel “The Thief” are reviewed. The evolution of the relationship between the author and his “doubles” in the process of processing the work (editions of 1927, 1956 and 1982) is analyzed. The image of the writer Firsov - ‘the author within the author’ - provides rich material for penetrating into the poetics of the narrative and allows one to consider the work in the metafiction coordinate system. Biographical, textual, cultural-historical and hermeneutic research methods are used. Results. It is concluded that L. M. Leonov fully managed to reveal the potential inherent in the format of meta-prose as a literary device. Having saved the reader from the author's dictate, the writer gave him complete independence in the perception of the artistic reality of the novel. Research implications. The work allows one to look at the novel “The Thief” in the context of modern research methods and actualize the role of L. M. Leonov in the current literary process.

Aim. We study the style of A. Pushkin’s story “The Stationmaster”. Continuing the academic tradition of A. Potebnya, P. Sakulin, and Yu. Mineralov, we choose stylistic dominants that form the uniqueness of the artistic content of Pushkin’s story. Methodology. The individual style of the writer is thoroughly analyzed on the basis of the story “The Stationmaster”. Particular attention is paid to the plot composition in terms of dialogicity and drama, the inclusion of many storytellers, and the interweaving of different points of view, which also reinforce the impression of the reliability of the narration. Results. The undertaken analysis allows one to convincingly reveal the stylistic dominants of Alexander Pushkin’s story “The Stationmaster”. The problems of genre formation are identified and substantiated: The essayism of the style of narration determines the philosophical level of generalization, and essay descriptiveness allows one to achieve a special reliability of the narration. The metaphor of biblical parables and allusions not only become a structural component of the plot composition and form the associative series of the narrative, but also makes it possible to convey a moral lesson to the reader in an extremely figurative way, avoiding excessive edification. A special role in the plot of the story is played by the portrait that reveals the symbolic meaning of episodes, which allows the author to express the tragedy of the protagonist in a laconic form. An important component of the individual style of A. Pushkin is the peculiarity of the epigraph function. Research implications. The research is a philological resource: with its help, the originality of the story is revealed in the unity of form and content, and allusion is considered as a stylistic dominant of the work, expanding the semantic content of the text, ecphrasis and its role, as well as the problem of genre formation and features of the system of images.

Aim. The paper examines the work of the modern poetess Svetlana Lavrentieva, who combines the richness of classical poetry forms and unexpected novelty of images. The purpose of the work is to analyze how the main trends of modern Russian poetry and eternal themes are refracted in her poetry and there appear a new form and imagery. Methodоlogy. The main research methods are the analysis of scientific sources devoted to the study of trends in modern Russian poetry, among which the following should be noted: a variety of forms and types of existence of poetry, an opposition of electronic and paper forms of poetic texts, a widespread distribution of network literature (and, as a consequence, massization of poetry, its interactive character, dominance of visual components or clips rather than textual components), a need for authors to popularize their work, and a transition of most of the poetic creativity to the sphere of mass culture, as well as an opposite trend towards massization of the poetic text, its "tightness". The practical part of the study uses observation and comparison methods. The poetic texts of Svetlana Lavrentieva look like an exception against the background of the general picture of modern poetry, presenting the readers with the unity of strict form and deep content. The main attention in the practical part of the research is paid to such aspects of her poetry as the absence of traditional stanza in it, the richness of rhymes, alliteration, aphorism and intertextuality. The breadth of thematic coverage of Lavrentieva's poetry includes the presence of traditional motives of love, death, mythological images, landscape and urban lyrics, which, however, are realized in Lavrentieva's poetry in a new way thanks to the author's ability to look at the issues of being through the prism of everyday life, details and little things, as well as to see eternal in the moment. Results. Based on the results of the study, we make a conclusion about the essential basis of Lavrentieva's poetry, which is at the level of form - the author's ability to embody eternal meanings in new poetic forms, and at the content level - the interpenetration of everyday life and being, sacred and momentary. Research implications. The paper summarizes a new material of contemporary Russian poetry. The research results can be used in the practice of teaching modern Russian literature at universities.

Aim. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the reflection of the events of the First World War in the poetry of H. P. Lovecraft. Methodology. A poetiological analysis is used to study H. P. Lovecraft’s poetics. Results. Using poems “1914” (1914), “The Crime of Crimes” (1915), "Beauties of the Peace” (1916), and “Teutonic Battle Song” (1916), we analyze the peculiarities of the author's interpretation of the tragic events of World War I. The connections between the writer's creativity and worldview with some philosophical theories at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries are outlined. Research implications. The study deepens the ideas about the civic position of H. P. Lovecraft, as well as about the way the main theme of the world literature, connected with the comprehension of the military theme, is reflected in his poetry.

Aim. We conduct an objective critical assessment of the translation of an extract from the poem in order to find out what could be the reason of the artistic failure. Methodology. The translation is analyzed for the first time. We analyze the works of N. Gumilev, the facts of his biography and the memoirs of his contemporaries, indicating the place of the image of Don Juan in his works. As a methodological basis, the literary-historical and biographical approaches are used. Results. Based on the study, we suggest that the cause of creative failure could be due to the socio-political situation and, at the same time, to loss of poet’s interest to the image of Don Juan created by G. Byron. Research implications. We have performed an analysis of a little-known translation for the first time and illustrated the development of the image of Don Juan in the work of N. Gumilev.

Aim. The aim of the paper is to study the semantics and functions of the personified objects in the Russian literature of the 20th century. Methodology. The abstracts from the literary works by Y. Olesha, V. Nabokov, I. Shmelev, A. Platonov, and T. Tolstaya are analyzed. The simultaneous tendencies to the personified object’s ‘independence’ and to the extension of its characterizing function are demonstrated. The main methods of the research are observation, synthesis, comparative analysis, and interpretation of results. Results. The research leads to the following conclusion: Full personification makes everyday objects seem independent of man; nevertheless they keep their characterizing function and thus can be considered to be indirect means of depiction of the human psychology. Research implications. The research results contribute to the interpretation of the personified objects’ semantics in the literary texts.