Norms and traditions of Russian speech etiquette. Norms of etiquette and speech behavior

In this article:

Etiquette is not only the norms of behavior in society, but also the ability to speak correctly. This is the beauty of speech and its content, as well as the use of phrases depending on the situation.

Speech etiquette is a set of rules (vowels and unspoken), thanks to which social institutions are supported in society and a hierarchy is established. Depending on the culture and social class, the rules of speech etiquette can vary significantly.

Knowledge of speech etiquette allows a person to successfully interact with other people, grow and develop personally and professionally.

The relationship of culture and speech

A cultured person stands out from the crowd by demeanor, courtesy, awareness and sociability. Such a person knows how to behave in society, easily makes contact and can support a conversation.

The speech of a cultured person is distinguished by semantic accuracy, grammatical correctness, expressiveness, richness and versatility of vocabulary and logical harmony.

Such speech is called normalized - in its oral form it meets the currently existing pronunciation standards, and in writing - the rules of punctuation and spelling.

The relationship between culture and speech is obvious here. A person who does not have an idea of ​​​​moral and ethical standards will not be able to observe speech etiquette, for the following reasons:

• lack of any education and literacy of writing;
• narrow vision;
• lack of communication skills;
• an abundance of "weedy" words in speech;
• use of profanity.

Important! In some cases, knowledge of etiquette does not guarantee decent communication. Sometimes it is a question of personal qualities of the interlocutor.

Formation of a culture of communication

Very different. Within the walls of the department state university and, for example, a public dining room, radically different vocabulary sounds, but the rules of speech etiquette are generally the same.

This is because the formation of a culture of communication begins from infancy. Children who are in different conditions, receive a different quality of training in behavior in society, but according to the same principles (excluding marginal strata).

The minimum standards of communication culture include the ability to keep a verbal distance, refuse insults and discuss shortcomings aloud, inadmissibility of rudeness and aggression.

To function successfully in society, a young member of society must learn loyalty and minimal respect for others.

Since humanity is no longer tribal, respect and benevolence is expressed through speech and its expressions - intonation, words, gestures.

The formation of a culture of communication begins at an early age. Along with the rules of behavior, the child is also taught the postulates of speech etiquette. Direct and indirect influence on the formation of speech culture is exerted by:

• a family;
• entourage;
• educational institution.

The child receives the first communication skill in the family. As soon as he begins to speak, he begins to copy the manner of speech of the household, using the same words and intonations - the child's speech becomes a reflection of the speech of the parents and their task is to convey to the child the basics of the culture of communication.

In families where much attention is paid to the upbringing of children, children from an early age know the "magic words" and their meaning.

At the second stage, others interfere in the process of mastering speech rules:

• neighbours;
• random people on the street;
• friends and their parents.

The circle of communication of the child becomes wider, new words appear in speech, the manner of conversation changes. And what it will be now depends not only on the parents.

If a child spends time among educated, cultured people, then his speech will become richer and brighter, but if others are unfamiliar with the culture of communication and “litter” with profanity, then the child will certainly take some turns.

Kindergarten, school and others educational establishments learn to read and write without spelling and punctuation errors, as well as to correctly express thoughts orally and in writing.

Moreover, the child receives the necessary knowledge from the lessons of the Russian language and literature, but also from other disciplines. The entire educational process is aimed at the formation of speech etiquette, and the goal is the following points:

• to develop sociability and social activity;
• establish communicative relationships with others;
• improve academic performance
• develop rapid adaptation to a variety of activities.

What is speech etiquette?

Speech etiquette is a set of requirements for the content, nature, form, order and appropriateness of statements in a given situation.

These are certain rules of speech behavior, a system of specific stereotypical, stable communication formulas that are accepted by society for mutual contact of interlocutors, its maintenance and interruption in the chosen tone.

Speech etiquette involves the use of certain words and expressions in various situations:

• during the greeting
• at the moment of farewell;
• upon request;
• at the time of the call;
• at the moment of apology.

The necessary words and phrases are pronounced with a certain intonation, which, together with sayings, characterizes polite speech.

Possession of the culture of speech helps in the formation of personality, gaining authority, trust and respect. By observing speech etiquette, a person feels confident and at ease in any situation, and also avoids ridicule and awkwardness in an unfamiliar environment.

It is a set of rules that is unique to different races and social groups in some respects. Most of the rules of speech etiquette are considered unspoken and are normally brought up in children along with all other social skills.

For example, there is no need to explain the reasons why you cannot raise your voice to another person - this is a violation of personal space and rudeness.

It is also obvious that familiarity with a person of higher social status or simply not familiar is not polite.

The history of the emergence of speech etiquette originates from hierarchical rules, where the elder automatically towered over the younger, women were singled out as a separate social group, and the gap between social classes was incredibly huge.

Most of the rules of speech etiquette have been preserved by mankind unchanged or slightly changed.

Basic rules of speech etiquette

Speech etiquette prescribes to the individual certain norms of communication, which are mandatory and have the character of recommendations.

The following speech rules are mandatory:

• compliance with the rules and literary norms in conversation;
• lack of profanity;
• non-admission of tactlessness, rudeness and disrespect;
• observance of the mandatory stages of speech - the beginning of the conversation, the main part of the conversation and the conclusion;
• absence of errors and distortion of terminology.

• speak to the point, avoiding empty, meaningless words.
• conduct a conversation, taking into account the level of development of the interlocutor - to speak clearly for him;
• do not interrupt the opponent, listen fully;
• be polite and tactful;
• do not get personal during a dispute;
• maintain a calm tone.

Since it will not be possible to completely structure such a large concept - too many cultures and social groups use its principles, there are only basic rules that are acceptable to most modern communities:

1. Smooth, neutral tone. Raising the voice and lowering it is a deviation from the norm in standard conversation. The interlocutors should hear each other well, but those around, if any, should not experience any inconvenience from someone else's conversation.
2. Greeting and farewell. Each conversation must necessarily begin with a greeting (its type will depend on the situation) and farewell.
3. Representation if there are more than two people in a conversation and someone is not familiar with someone. It is very impolite to start a conversation with others without introducing yourself. Anyone who brings a new person to the company is obliged to introduce him. If there are no acquaintances in a dialogue between several people, the rule is not strictly observed.

The main principles are calmness, elimination of conflict situations and a friendly (neutral) atmosphere. In a business conversation or any other formal meeting, it is strictly not recommended to clearly express your emotions and attitude towards others.

Types of speech etiquette

Speech is the main mechanism of verbal communication. Verbal communication is internal, when words are spoken to oneself, and externally directed - oral (dialogue and monologue) and written.

Oral speech is built in the form of a dialogue or monologue. In dialogue, people exchange information, emotions or experiences with each other. The monologue comes from one person, but is directed at the audience or at oneself.

Conversational ethics is less formal than written ethics. Omissions of words, replacement of phrases by action or gesture are allowed here.

The written form of ethics is limited by strict limits - style, spelling and punctuation rules.

Since this is a broad concept, there is nowhere a single speech etiquette that is ideal for all social requirements. Specific people or social groups modify the rules to suit their needs without changing the main principles - this is how the classification of speech etiquette by type is born:

1. Official or business. This is the etiquette that is usually meant by this word by the layman. It is used at events where guests do not know each other, at exhibitions, in the service sector, at business negotiations.
2. Everyday. The easiest to learn and most common type. The application of the rules of everyday etiquette does not require effort, a person who is brought up and integrated into society follows most of the rules and norms of speech etiquette in the process of communication automatically. Applicable in any situation where official etiquette or rarer forms of speech etiquette do not fit.

Also, for non-standard situations that most people do not encounter, there are unique units of speech etiquette of etiquette.

For example, religious - it is studied within the clergy of confessions or simply among believers and is practically not applicable in secular society. The same can be said about diplomatic and military etiquette.

In general, verbal communication is classified by content and can be:

• material - the exchange of products of activity;
• cognitive (cognitive) - the exchange of data, experience and knowledge;
• conditional (emotional) - exchange of mood;
• motivational - exchange of intentions;
• activity - the exchange of skills, as a result of joint activities.

Types of speech etiquette are divided according to interaction techniques and tasks.

1. Mask contact. This is formal communication, without the desire to know the character of the opponent.
2. Secular communication. This form of verbal communication is pointless, since people at such moments talk on general topics, which is supposed to be talked about in this situation.
3. Formal role-playing. Here the regulation and content of communication are important, and the social status of the interlocutor and his position in society are important.
4. . This is an interaction for the purpose of exchanging data and messages that are required to achieve the desired result.
5. Interpersonal communication. This type of speech etiquette is also called intimate personal communication, because it consists in revealing the deep personal qualities of the interlocutor.
6. manipulative communication. This communication is aimed at obtaining benefits from the opponent.

Important! Any form of conversation is subject to certain rules, which must be strictly observed.

Functions of speech etiquette

Speech etiquette has certain functions that are very important for a person.

1. Establishing contact. Speech etiquette attracts the attention of the interlocutor, encourages him to contact and possible acquaintance.
2. Maintaining contact. In this case, ethical communication contributes to maintaining contact without deepening into any topic of conversation. It is necessary to form an impression of the interlocutor and maintain a friendly relationship.
3. Showing respect and positivity. To some extent, this is the main function of speech etiquette, which is carried out by the words of greeting and farewell, apology, sympathy, requests, etc.
4. Behavior regulation. Compliance with speech norms makes people's behavior predictable and understandable to others, and also clarifies the social role of each of the interlocutors and determines the course of action in a given situation.
5. Prevention of conflicts. Speech etiquette contributes to normal communication between people. A timely apology and courtesy help to avoid sharp corners in the conversation, and if the conflict has already begun, get out of it with minimal losses.

Important! Etiquette communication is a prerequisite for a conversation with others, which guarantees normal relations between people. It gives a person positive qualities and facilitates interaction with society.

The main function is to establish positive contact with another person or group. Changes in Russian speech etiquette recent years are just echoes of rituals created by ancient people as a universal constant of communication.

Many of their parts can be traced even now, for example, in handshakes, bows among Asian nationalities, and smiles.

All these seemingly insignificant mini-rituals have been accompanying mankind for centuries. They help to show, on a conscious and unconscious level, that the interlocutor is respected and will be treated well.

Etiquette standards are a universal language in which you can agree with everyone.

Language and behavioral aids

Speech is mostly words and other sounds, of course, but there are other means of expression. For example, gestures and position in space relative to your interlocutor.

All this is also very important and matters both from the secular side and in terms of national characteristics, which are also taken into account.

Gesticulation can be considered the clearest example of a behavioral tool. This is a completely normal phenomenon - gestures are used by a person as “amplifiers” that complement speech.

With the help of them, emotions are expressed, ultra-fast signals are given. There are quite strict rules about gesticulation, mainly they consist in restraining it.

There is nothing wrong with showing the interlocutor with your palm on the subject of conversation or with a gesture to invite them to enter the room, but waving your arms and reducing the distance with a person without his consent is unacceptable.

Language and behavioral means are inextricably linked, but the former exist without the latter, and vice versa, they do not.

In speech etiquette, the first assistants are linguistic and behavioral means. These include:

• moderate gestures and facial expressions;
• communication distance;
• expressed benevolence and restrained emotionality;
• showing interest;
• avoidance of controversial situations;
• noncategoricalness of own statements;
• exclusion of disapproval;
• exclusion of excessive interest in personal details;
• participation in a general conversation;
• brevity and uniformity of communication with everyone;
• minimum information about yourself;
• discussion of neutral topics - children, animals, weather, travel;
• help the interlocutor in a delicate situation;
• expression of disagreement by silence, a question or a transition to another topic;
• moderate use of humor;
• ban on sarcasm;
• exclusion of rude and colloquial expressions;
• positive mood;
• observance of time frames and frequency of communication.

Speech etiquette formulas

At any stage, communication is accompanied by formulas of speech etiquette - stamps and set expressions.

These are words of courtesy that are provided for all occasions:

• words of greeting and farewell - “hello”, “greeting you”, “see you”, “goodbye”;
• apologetic phrases - “sorry”, “please forgive me”, “sorry for ...”;
• appeal - "can I contact you?";
• words of sympathy - “condolences”, “sincerely sympathize”;
• asking phrases - “be so kind as to pass ...”;
• invitation words - "I will be glad to see you";
• compliments and encouragement - “you are a wonderful specialist”;
• gratitude - “thank you from the bottom of my heart”, “thank you”, “I am very grateful to you”.

These formulas suggest how to behave in any situation and facilitate communication.

Speech etiquette and business communication

Business communication after everyday is the most common. This is logical - the level of medium-sized entrepreneurship is growing, more and more people are employed in creative professions or prefer to work for themselves.

Adhering to the standard rules of everyday etiquette at a business meeting is permissible, but in this way it will be possible to gain respect from the interlocutor only if he himself adheres to a similar approach in business.

IMPORTANT! Depending on different life situations Business Etiquette can also be divided into conditional groups.

Rules for successful official communication

The main thing is no familiarity. Flirting between business partners is also excluded. Interlocutors must find the perfect balance between polite detachment and polite engagement. The first should not turn into arrogance, the second into obsession.

You should not adhere to the picture officialdom. At a business meeting, appropriate jokes and conversations on abstract topics may well sound. Going personal is taboo, it is rude and can offend the interlocutor.

Punctuality, commitment and honesty. When creating a first impression, there are no trifles - you should not be late, be rude to the staff.

Business communication is different in that it lacks fragments hinting at personal topics. This communication is essentially - polite, courteous and impartial, but at the same time inviting. It aims to achieve mutual understanding and contact.

Official communication provides for the following rules:

• manners and speech in accordance with a particular situation;
• ultimate clarity of speech - clear pronunciation, clarity of presentation;
• reliability of information;
• correctness;
• moderation;
• attentiveness;
• maintaining distance.

Stages of business communication

Like any communication, a business conversation is divided into stages:

• greeting - the first greeting word is pronounced by the youngest in age or rank;
• dialogue, with observance of canons and courtesy;
• resolution of disputes - the ability to bypass sharp corners, a constructive dialogue;
• daily interaction - the solution of daily issues;
• - attentiveness and cordiality, expressed in gestures and facial expressions;
• farewell is the final stage of communication, on which the mutual impression depends.

Principles of speech business etiquette

Compliance with the principles of business communication helps to establish and establish long-term partnerships. They include:

• subordination;
• positive image and trust;
• attentiveness to the opinion of the opponent;
• courtesy;
• situationality;
• alignment with agreed regulations.

Telephone business etiquette

Telephone conversations also have their own rules:

• they begin with a greeting and introduction with the name of the organization and position of the speaker;
• the conversation should be concise, to the point;
• it is necessary to follow the sequence of the conversation;
• negotiations are conducted politely, unhurriedly, in a calm voice;
• diction must be clear;
• after the conversation, you need to say the words of farewell.

Important! Before starting business negotiations, it is better to write down the essence of the issue on paper so that during the conversation you do not jump from one moment to another.

Speech etiquette of different social groups

Speech etiquette is established within each social group. Its features are formed depending on the following aspects:

• age;
• gender;
• education;
• level of education;
• professional direction;
• wealth level;
• hierarchical affiliation.

The desire to master speech etiquette is the key to personal development and an indicator of education.

Compliance with the norms and rules of speech enhances the culture of a person and society as a whole. That is why the educational process pays maximum attention to this issue.

In order to always be on top and not lose face, it is worth knowing the basic rules of speech etiquette “perfectly”. In the Russian language, as in any other culture of the world, there are certain subtleties and features of speech etiquette. Yes, there are not so few of them. However, knowing the rules of behavior in various speech situations will help you brilliantly make speeches, negotiate, and conduct personal conversations. You will learn how to negotiate and avoid various incidental situations that may cast doubt on your reputation.

What is speech etiquette?

It is worth starting with what the term “speech etiquette” itself means. Do I need to draw up rules of speech etiquette for myself, or is there some specific written set of norms?

In short, speech etiquette refers to the ability to communicate politely and tactfully.

If you constantly use these rules in everyday life, you can easily build good relationships with colleagues, neighbors, relatives, partners, friends, etc.

In short, the speech culture of behavior is not only a set of certain norms. It is also everyday communication. In some way, this is also a litmus test, which allows you to determine at the first communication how literate a person is, how polite, tactful. The level of speech etiquette helps to assess the social status and level of human development.

Despite the fact that every country, every culture has its own rules that help us understand what kind of person it is, it is very difficult to identify all the rules of speech etiquette - there are so many of them.

Basic rules of speech etiquette

The main, basic rules of speech etiquette in Russian are varied. But it will not be difficult for you to understand them if you grew up in this country and the basic formulations or “starting formulas” were instilled in you from childhood. What it is? In fact, everything is not so difficult.

Under the starting formulas, linguists and psychologists usually mean a habit:

• greet the interlocutor correctly and in accordance with the situation;

• be sure to say goodbye;

• to thank for the offered help;

• apologize.

Many people learned these rules at an early age. But over the years, a person develops his own rules of speech etiquette, which he strives to strictly follow. What is it expressed in? It’s not at all that adults can be rude to an interlocutor or utter a bad word. Not at all! With experience, a person learns to politely maintain a conversation, even if he is not familiar with the topic.

It is important here not to abruptly interrupt the conversation and not to refuse it. This is uncivilized! Also, over the years, we learn to correctly and correctly express our point of view. Even if it does not correspond to generally accepted standards, it is important to communicate it politely.

The main stages of each speech situation

Following the basic rules of speech etiquette, each person must understand that any conversation is divided into 3 stages:

1. Introduction (or greeting).
2. Main part.
3. Conclusion.

Each of the stages has certain features. It would seem that everyone knows what rules of speech etiquette "work" in the first part of the conversation. Still, it wouldn't hurt to repeat them. It is very important to choose the right phrases for greetings. They depend on your interlocutor. His age, social status, gender should be taken into account. But there are no clear boundaries and restrictions here. That is, you can say " Good morning!", "Hi Hello!". The first and last options are universal. They apply in every situation. After all, their meaning indicates a polite attitude. "Hi!" and similar phrases are permissible only in dialogue with friends and some relatives.

Also, there are no uniform formulas for communication in the main part of the conversation. A lot depends on the situation, the goals of the conversation and many other factors. To determine the line of conduct and the rules of speech etiquette, you need to know the facts, that is, the interlocutor himself and the essence of the conversation.

Another important aspect is a well-formed conclusion. Here, too, there are certain subtleties. According to general norms, it is customary to say the words of farewell and discuss the possibility of the next meeting. There are also generic phrases here. If you do not know how to end a conversation in a given situation, then use the generally accepted wording. These may be variants of "All the best!" or "Goodbye!".

Principles of speech etiquette

Speech etiquette is based on certain principles. There is nothing difficult in their comprehension, since all these are generally accepted moral principles and values.

Accordingly, when conducting any conversation, you should rely on a respectful attitude towards the interlocutor, do not interrupt him, do not raise your voice, do not shout, do not insult, do not speak in parallel.

It would seem that everything is elementary simple. But it is still worth highlighting the basic principles of the rules of speech behavior in Russian:

• brevity;

• politeness;

• accuracy;

• literacy;

• relevance.

Here are the main components of successful communication in a business environment and in everyday interpersonal interaction.

Goodwill and readiness for mutual cooperation - these are the basics of etiquette. If you follow these laws, then pleasant communication is guaranteed to you. In addition, this approach provides an opportunity to clearly agree on productive cooperation.

It is important to be able to select phrases that are appropriate in a given situation. In this case, it is required to take into account the social status and age of the interlocutor. Don't forget how familiar you are with him.

In Russian speech etiquette, the specifics of the situation and traditions play an important role. National features of speech etiquette, in particular, are manifested in the choice of the form of address. A feature of the Russian language is the presence in it of two pronouns - “you” and “You”, replacing the actual name of the person, as well as the pronoun “he”, when it comes to a third person who is not involved in communication.

As a nationally specific feature of English etiquette, one should point out the following: in English language, unlike Russian, there is no formal distinction between the forms you and you. The whole range of meanings of these forms is contained in the pronoun you. The pronoun thou, which in theory would correspond to the Russian “you”, fell out of use in the 17th century, being preserved only in poetry and the Bible. All registers of contacts, from emphatically official to rough-familiar, are conveyed by other means of language - intonation, the choice of appropriate words and constructions.

The correct choice of the form of address - to "you" or "You" - is the first basic level of speech etiquette.

According to the etiquette adopted in Russia, the form of address for "you" is used:

When talking with a well-known person with whom friendly, friendly relations have been established;

In an informal setting of communication;

To equal or younger in age, equal or younger in official position, colleagues at work who are in informal relations with each other;

Teacher to student (more often in lower grades);

Parents to their children;

Children to their peers or younger in age;

close relatives to each other.

Referring to the “YOU” of the boss to his subordinate is possible only if the subordinate can also turn to the boss on “you”, that is, if there are friendly, informal relations between them. Otherwise, such treatment is a gross violation of speech etiquette. It can be perceived by subordinates as a disrespectful attitude, an attack on human dignity, as an insult to a person.

The form of address for "you" is used mainly:

In official situations of communication (in institutions, at work, in public places);

When addressing strangers or unfamiliar people;

To a familiar interlocutor, if the speaker has only official relations with him (to work colleagues, teacher, lecturer, student, boss);

To the older but the age, occupying a higher position;

To teachers, to adults;

To officials in institutions, shops, restaurants, including the service personnel of these institutions;

To subordinates.

In written texts, writing You(capitalized) is used only when referring to alone person who is older addresser by age or social status or with whom official communication takes place. Great importance is attached to the transition of communication partners from one form of address to another. The transition from “you” to “you” marks a cooling of relations, a demonstration that communication from now on should be put in a strict etiquette framework. The transition from “you” to “you” demonstrates the transition from reserved, neutral, official relations to close, friendly ones. Such a transition should be desirable for both communication partners. One-sided transition to "you" is perceived as a manifestation of arrogance, an attempt to demonstrate the subordinate position of the interlocutor and is a gross violation of etiquette.

The pronoun "he" is used to name someone who is not involved in communication, as opposed to "I" and "you" ("You"). In Russian speech etiquette, there is an important rule that limits the use of the pronoun “he” in a situation of direct communication: you cannot say “he” about someone who is present during communication and hears the conversation (for example, stands nearby) or participates in this conversation, but in this moment listens to others, and the conversation turned to him. Speech etiquette prescribes, when mentioning this person, to call him by his first name or first name and patronymic, depending on the situation, but in no case say “he”: such use of this word is considered rude, impolite, insulting for the one who is named " he".

The Russian language has not developed a tradition of using special words to address strangers, similar to French ones. monsieur / madam, Polish pan/pani etc. The appeal recommended by individual modern authors sir / madam today it sounds romantic, but in Pushkin's Russia it was used only for representatives of the non-noble class (officials, merchants). Using it in an appeal to a nobleman (remember that, for example, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky did this when referring to Prince Ippolit Kurakin in L. Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace") was tantamount to an insult (a deliberate gross violation of speech etiquette by Prince Andrei in the mentioned by us episode, according to the rules of conduct of that time, Hippolytus should have been challenged to a duel, but he showed cowardice).

The words "girl", "young man" are widely used today in the function of addressing strangers, as well as to service personnel of various institutions, shops, restaurants. At the same time, they can be addressed to young and middle-aged people, but not to older people. Such an appeal, which is typical for such situations and expresses a polite attitude towards the interlocutor, is more often used by people of middle and old age. Young people use it if the addressee is the same age as them or a little older; with a significant difference in age, they prefer indirect appeal, for example: "You are you coming out?" "To you it will be interesting".

Men use indirect appeals and addressing the attendants - men, if they are of the same age as them: “Can you give me a ride to the station?”. The appeals "man", "woman" can now be considered acceptable when communicating in purely informal situations, if such an appeal is accompanied by a polite or highly polite intonation. Note that many philologists generally do not allow the possibility of using these addresses in literary speech.

A distinctive feature of officially accepted appeals in Russia was a reflection of the social stratification of society, such characteristic feature like chivalry.

Isn't that why the root in Russian rank turned out to be fruitful, giving life:

Words: official, bureaucracy, dean, deanery, chinolyubie, servility, clerk, clerkship, disorderly, outrageous, rank-destroyer, rank-destroyer, rank-religious, rank-stealer, decorously, chivalry, obey, submission;

Phrases: out of rank, hand out according to rank, rank by rank, big rank, without disassembling ranks, without rank, rank by rank;

Proverbs: Honor the rank of rank, and sit on the edge of the smaller one; Bullet ranks do not parse; To a fool, that to a great rank, space is everywhere; As many as two ranks: a fool and a fool; And he would have been in ranks, but it's a pity, his pockets are empty.

The social stratification of society, the inequality that existed in Russia for several centuries, was reflected in the system of official appeals. The monarchical system in Russia until the 20th century. preserved the division of people into classes. Class-organized society was characterized by a hierarchy of rights and duties, class inequality and privileges. Estates were distinguished: nobles, clergy, raznochintsy, merchants, philistines, peasants. Hence the appeals sir, madam in relation to people of privileged social groups; sir, sir- for the middle class or barin, lady for those and others and the lack of a single appeal to representatives of the lower class.

In the languages ​​of other civilized countries, unlike Russian, there were appeals that were used both in relation to a person occupying a high position in society, and to an ordinary citizen: Mr, Mrs, Miss (England, USA); senor, senora, senorita (Spain); signor, signora, signorina (Italy); pan, pani (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia).

After the October Revolution, all the old ranks and titles were abolished by a special decree, and universal equality was proclaimed. Appeals mister-madam, sir-lady, sir-madam, sir (sir) gradually disappear. Only diplomatic language preserves the formulas of international courtesy. So, the heads of monarchical states are addressed: your majesty, your excellency; foreign diplomats continue to be called mister-mistress. Instead of all appeals that existed in Russia, starting from 1917-1918. receive circulation citizen and comrade. The history of these words is remarkable and instructive.

Word citizen recorded in the monuments of the XI century. It came to Old Russian language from Old Slavonic and served as a phonetic version of the word city dweller. Both of them meant "resident of the city (city)". In this meaning citizen found in texts dating back to the 19th century.

So, A. S. Pushkin has the lines:

Not a demon-not even a gypsy

But just a citizen of the capital.

In the XVIII century. this word acquires the meaning of "a full member of society, the state."

Why is it so public meaningful word, as a citizen, did not become in the XX century. commonly used way of addressing people to each other?

In the 20-30s. a custom appeared, and then it became the norm when addressing arrested, imprisoned, convicted employees of law enforcement agencies and vice versa, not to say comrade, only citizen: citizen under investigation, citizen judge, citizen prosecutor. As a result, the word citizen for many has become associated with detention, arrest, the police, and the prosecutor's office. The negative association gradually “grown” to the word so much that it became an integral part of it; so rooted in the minds of people that it became impossible to use the word citizen as a common address.

The fate of the word comrade was somewhat different. It is recorded in the monuments of the XV century. Known in Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Upper Lusatian and Lower Lusatian. In the Slavic languages, this word came from the Turkic, in which the root tavar meant "property, livestock, goods." Probably originally the word comrade meant "companion in trade". Then the meaning of this word is expanded: a comrade is not only a "companion", but also a "friend". Proverbs testify to this: On the road, a son is a friend to his father; smart comrade-half way; Stay away from a friend-become without a friend; The poor man is not a friend to the rich; The servant of the master is not a friend.

With the growth of the revolutionary movement in Russia at the beginning of the XIX century. word comrade as the word once citizen, acquires a new socio-political meaning: "a like-minded person fighting for the interests of the people."

From the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century. Marxist circles are being created in Russia, and their members call each other comrades. In the first years after the revolution, this word becomes the main reference in the new Russia. Naturally, the nobles, the clergy, officials, especially of high rank, do not all immediately accept the appeal comrade.

Since the end of the 80s. 20th century in an official setting, appeals began to be revived sir, madam, lord, madam.

History repeats itself. Like in the 20s and 30s. appeals mister and comrade had a social connotation, and in the 90s. they again confront each other.

Recently appeal sir, madam is perceived as the norm at meetings of the Duma, in television programs, at various symposiums and conferences. In parallel with this, at meetings of government officials, political figures with the people, as well as at rallies, speakers began to use appeals Russians, fellow citizens, compatriots. Among civil servants, businessmen, entrepreneurs, university professors, the appeal is becoming the norm sir, madam in combination with the surname, title of position, rank. Appeal comrade continue to be used by the military and members of communist parties. Scientists, teachers, doctors, lawyers prefer words colleagues, friends. Appeal dear-respected found in the speech of the older generation.

Thus, the problem of commonly used address in an informal setting remains open.

Unfortunately, we have lost the treasures accumulated by our ancestors. In 1917, the continuity in the use of etiquette was interrupted. By that time, Russia was one of the most cultured countries with the richest traditions in the use of etiquette products. First, there was the document "Table of Ranks", published in 1717-1721, which was then republished in a slightly modified form. It listed the military (army and navy), civil and court ranks. Each category of ranks was divided into 14 classes. So, the 3rd class included a lieutenant general, lieutenant general, vice admiral, privy councilor, chamber marshal, master of the horse, master of the hunt, chamberlain, chief ceremonial master; by the 6th grade - colonel, captain of the 1st rank, collegiate adviser, chamber junker; by the 12th grade - cornet, cornet, midshipman, provincial secretary.

In addition to the named ranks, which determined the system of appeals, there were appeals: your excellency, your excellency, your excellency, your highness, your majesty, the most merciful (merciful) sovereign, sovereign, etc.

So, noble etiquette was an integral part of European etiquette. Appeals in the nobility had to strictly correspond to the rank, rank and origin of the person addressed. These appeals were strictly correlated with the "Table of Ranks" (it was in effect almost unchanged until 1917). Titled persons were addressed according to the title: Your Highness (imperial surname), Your Excellency (count), Your Grace (prince). Eminence, Reverend, Reverend, etc. "titled" representatives of spiritual authority.

AT military etiquette a system of appeals was developed corresponding to the system military ranks: full generals were supposed to say Your Excellency, lieutenant generals and major generals - Your Excellency, if the persons do not have a princely or county title.

So-called departmental etiquette used largely the same system of address as military etiquette. For example, actual Privy Councilors of the 1st and 2nd classes were treated in the same way as full generals: Your Excellency. To actual state councilors (ranks of the 3rd and 4th classes) - as to lieutenant generals and major generals: Your Excellency. Officials of the fifth class were "titled Noble", the title of High Nobility was assigned to the ranks of the sixth, seventh and eighth classes, all other officials below the eighth class were "called Noble".

Peasant, folk etiquette possessed the richest arsenal of stable formulas that illuminated any event in the life of a peasant. There were about forty greeting formulas. For example, still preserved Break a leg! Among the appeals barin, mistress, young lady, nationwide universal sir - madam (gracious sovereign - empress).

Business Etiquette- This is the order of conduct adopted in the field of business communication. In written business communication, etiquette is manifested in the form and content of the documents drawn up.

In Russian speech etiquette, such qualities as tact, courtesy, tolerance, goodwill, and restraint are of particular value.

Tact- this is an ethical norm that requires the speaker to understand the interlocutor, avoid inappropriate questions, discuss topics that may be unpleasant for him.

courtesy lies in the ability to anticipate possible questions and wishes of the interlocutor, the readiness to inform him in detail on all topics essential for the conversation.

Tolerance is to calmly relate to possible differences of opinion, to avoid sharp criticism of the views of the interlocutor. You should respect the opinions of other people, try to understand why they have this or that point of view. Consistency is closely related to such a quality of character as tolerance - the ability to calmly respond to unexpected or tactless questions and statements of the interlocutor.

benevolence is necessary both in relation to the interlocutor, and in the entire construction of the conversation: in its content and form, in intonation and choice of words.

The term is directly related to the concept of speech etiquette. taboo. Taboo- this is a ban on the use of certain words, due to historical, cultural, ethical, socio-political or emotional factors. Socio-political taboos are characteristic of speech practice in societies with an authoritarian regime.

They may concern the names of certain organizations, the mention of certain persons objectionable to the ruling regime (for example, opposition politicians, writers, scientists), certain phenomena of social life officially recognized as non-existent in this society. Cultural and ethical taboos exist in any society. It is clear that obscene vocabulary, the mention of certain physiological phenomena and parts of the body, is prohibited. Neglect of ethical speech prohibitions is not only a gross violation of etiquette, but also a violation of the law. Insult, that is, humiliation of the honor and dignity of another person, expressed in an indecent form, is considered by the criminal law as a crime (Article 130 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

The phenomena of speech etiquette differ depending on the social status of the participants in communication. social status called a certain position occupied by a person in society or a social group, associated with other positions through a system of rights and obligations. Social status can be determined by the place of a given individual in the social hierarchy, profession, etc., or by the place and role in a small social group (leader, follower, etc.). Many specialized units and general manifestations of speech etiquette differ in their stable attachment to certain social groups of native speakers.

These groups can be distinguished according to the following criteria:

Age: speech etiquette formulas associated with youth jargon ( hello, ciao, goodbye); specific forms of politeness in the speech of older people ( thank you kindly);

Education and upbringing: more educated and well-mannered people tend to more accurate use of speech etiquette units, use you-forms more widely, etc .;

Gender: women, on average, gravitate towards more polite speech, rarely use rude, close to swearing and obscene vocabulary, are more scrupulous in choosing topics;

Belonging to specific professional groups.

Speech etiquette involves certain forms of speech behavior in communication between a boss and a subordinate, a professor and a student, a group leader and a follower, etc. Social roles are closely related to social status. Various units of speech etiquette are used depending on the social roles assumed by the participants in communication. Here, both social roles in themselves and their relative position in the social hierarchy are important. social role is the expected behavior associated with the status. Knowing the social status of a given person, his social functions, people expect him to have a certain set of qualities and to carry out certain forms of speech behavior. Speech etiquette requires that people's speech behavior does not contradict the role expectations of the subject and addressee of communication.

Along with social roles in speech communication, communicative roles are established. Communicative role- this is a typical position in communication, occupied by its subjects in order to achieve the goal of communication, for example, seeking advice, petitioner, adult, child, etc. It should be noted that communicative roles may outwardly coincide with social roles, but this coincidence can also be ostentatious when a person takes on a certain role to achieve his goals. If he manages to successfully play this role, he achieves the desired goal, if it is unsuccessful, a situation of role conflict arises. The second most important factor determining speech etiquette, in addition to the social status of the interlocutors, is communication situation. The choice of etiquette forms, speech behavior of a person are closely dependent on the situation and must change in accordance with its change.

The factors that determine the situation of communication include the following:

1. Situation type: official, unofficial, semi-official. In an official situation (boss - subordinate, manager - client, teacher - student, etc.), the most stringent rules of speech etiquette apply. This area of ​​communication is most clearly regulated by etiquette, so violations are most noticeable in it - and it is in this area that they can have the most serious consequences for the subjects of communication.

In an informal situation (acquaintances, friends, relatives, etc.), the norms of speech etiquette are the most free. Often speech communication in this situation is not regulated at all. Close people, friends, relatives in the absence of outsiders can say everything to each other in any tone. Their speech communication is determined by the norms of morality, which are included in the sphere of ethics, but not by etiquette norms.

In a semi-official situation (communication between colleagues or family members), the norms of etiquette are not strict, blurred, here leading role begin to play the rules of speech behavior that this small group developed in the process of social interaction social group: a team of laboratory staff, departments, family, etc.

2. The degree of acquaintance of the subjects of communication. When communicating with strangers, the most stringent rules apply. AT this case behave in the same way as in official situations. As the acquaintance deepens, the etiquette norms of verbal communication weaken and the communication of people is regulated mainly by moral norms.

3. The psychological distance of the subjects of communication, i.e., the relationship of people along the lines of “equal to equal” or “unequal relations”. When communicating with people who are equal to each other on any sign that is significant for a given situation - age, degree of acquaintance, official position, gender, profession, level of intelligence, place of residence, etc. - etiquette rules are observed less strictly than when communicating with people who are unequal : a boss with a subordinate, a senior with a junior, a man with a woman. A shorter psychological distance, which is established when the interlocutors are equal on an essential basis, thus implies greater etiquette freedom than a more significant psychological distance that occurs between people who are unequal on some basis that is essential to the situation. Which sign turns out to be significant depends on the situation itself, in the course of communication it can change.

4. Functions of participation of interlocutors in a conversation. Contact the function is aimed at maintaining communicative contact with the interlocutor. It is realized in the process of secular or contact-establishing communication, when the process of communication is more important than its content or result, there is a so-called conversation on general topics: about recreation, sports, weather, pets, etc. If the interlocutor in a conversation implements the contact function of communication, then speech etiquette formulas and communication rules are observed very clearly. intellectual the function is to argue your point of view, express your thoughts and analyze the thoughts of the interlocutor. When implementing this function, the result of communication is important; the norms of speech etiquette are observed, but they no longer have such a self-contained value as in the implementation of the contact function of communication.

emotional the function is to support the feelings and emotions of the interlocutor, and demonstrate sympathy for him and express his own emotions. In this case, deviations from strict speech etiquette are acceptable, although within certain limits: emotional communication also has its own speech etiquette, acceptable and unacceptable forms. Function observer- this is a function of communication when its participant is present when others communicate, but does not participate in it himself (for example, a passenger in a compartment when two other passengers are talking). Speech etiquette in this case is minimized, although it is present here too: it is necessary, first of all, non-verbally, without words, to show that you are not participating in the conversation and no matter how you hear it.

5. Attitude towards the interlocutor. Speech etiquette prescribes the use of formulas in speech that demonstrate a polite, highly polite, respectful, affectionate and friendly attitude of the speaker to the listener. All formulas that reflect an ultra-high level of politeness are appropriate only in a limited number of special situations of communication. Formulas reflecting a low level of politeness are non-etiquette in nature and are also appropriate only in a limited number of situations, with certain relationships that speak to each other and the special composition of the communication group. The speaker can treat the interlocutor as he sees fit, in accordance with the attitude that he deserves, but in communication it is only necessary to demonstrate a good attitude in the form of moderate politeness - this is the requirement of speech etiquette.

6. Place and time of communication. The place of communication also has an impact on etiquette communication. There are certain places in which, being in this or that situation, the speakers must pronounce certain etiquette ritual phrases adopted for these places and situations, for example: “Bitter!” - at the wedding, "Bon appetit!" - at dinner, "Good night" - going to bed, etc. These etiquette phrases are due to the cultural tradition of the people, and their pronunciation is part of their culture. There are also etiquette formulas that must be pronounced at a certain moment of communication: “Good luck!” - seeing someone on the road, "Welcome!" when the guests arrived Good morning!" - when someone woke up, etc. The place and time of communication are closely related.

Thus, speech etiquette is closely related to the situation of communication: the choice of speech etiquette formulas, the implementation of communication rules depend on a number of situational factors that must be taken into account by the speaker.

Business speech is distinguished by a high degree of formality: participants in communication, persons and objects about which in question, are called by their full official names.

The contrast between written and oral speech is also essential. Written speech, as a rule, belongs to one or another functional style; on the contrary, oral speech tends to blur stylistic boundaries. In this regard, speech etiquette is divided into the etiquette of oral and written communication. Etiquette oral communication includes politeness formulas and rules for conducting a conversation, written communication - politeness formulas and rules of correspondence. As an example, one can compare the written documents of legal proceedings and oral presentations in court of two parties and their representatives: in last case there is constant going beyond the functional style, less formalized language, etc. Consider the etiquette rules related to official correspondence.

“Well”, “there”, “here”, “type”, “in short”, “in general”, “as if”, “that is”, “so to speak”, “uh-uh”, “mm-m ” - found your “favorite” words and sounds? The list goes on. All these elements greatly pollute our speech, make it rough, scattered and unattractive.

No swearing

Expanding vocabulary

Probably, you have already noticed the repetition of the same words for expressing emotions, different feelings and describing events - this indicates a rather meager active vocabulary, that is, one that you constantly and regularly use in communication.

To avoid this and diversify your speech, you need to constantly expand your vocabulary by reading fiction, memorizing poetry, practicing writing your own poems and essays.

Getting rid of surzhik

Unfortunately, this problem is relevant for a considerable number of residents of Ukraine - the culture of speech of many people suffers from the use of elements of surzhik in communication, and for some, speech completely consists of this hybrid of Ukrainian and Russian languages. Surzhik analogues exist in other countries where people live in a mixed language environment.

Constant work on your speech, reading books and even dictionaries will help you overcome this obstacle. You can also ask your friends to correct you right during the conversation if they notice that you have used the wrong word.

When dealing with verbal garbage, it is important to first determine which words are superfluous in your vocabulary, and then carefully monitor your speech. Record yourself on a tape recorder and analyze what was said. Think about what words can replace unwanted vocabulary, work with synonym dictionaries. Engage in the study of speech styles - you need to know these features in order to different situations communicate culturally without polluting the relevant vocabulary.

Rules of speech etiquette

Since we all revolve in society, a high culture of speech is impossible without following certain rules for communicating with other people:

• When you address someone, you must consider the person's gender, age, and sometimes social status. What you say to a friend or family member may be inappropriate and even rude to a stranger, an older person in a higher rank.

• Turning to "you" usually occurs within the family, between friends and good acquaintances. "You" can also be used to refer to children of primary school age. In other cases, such a transition occurs only with the separate permission and consent of the participants in the communication; before that, the appeal “You” is considered acceptable. Although in our time the boundaries of such appeals are blurred, but addressing a person with “you” is arbitrarily considered impolite and familiar.

• In communication there should be no place for insults, rudeness and contempt. The interlocutor should be treated kindly, or at least calmly, neutrally, but in any case - respectfully.

• Learn to listen and show interest in the interlocutor, ask him questions. It is ugly when communicating with a person to yawn, get bored, ask again what was said due to the fault of one's own inattention, without the need to be distracted. In the same way, it is impolite not to allow the interlocutor to speak for himself, to interrupt him, or to speak only about himself. It is better to appear modest than overconfident and intrusive.

• Watch your facial expressions and gestures. Don't gesticulate unnecessarily and don't get too close to someone without their permission, especially in a formal setting.

• If you saw a friend on the street, shouting to him and talking loudly at a distance is blatant lack of culture.

• Try to avoid talking about politics and religion - these topics are quite delicate and can become a bone of contention even among friends and relatives, not to mention unfamiliar people.

Speech etiquette formulas

The culture of speech implies the use of well-known formulas of speech etiquette. These are some kind of templates, speech clichés that are used in conversation in a certain situation and taking into account the peculiarities of national communication. Many of them are known to us since childhood.

According to speech etiquette, the conversation begins with a greeting, and only then does the main part of the conversation take place. These formulas must be used appropriately and appropriate to the situation.

In the morning we greet our acquaintances by saying: “Good morning”, but in the evening we will say: “Good evening”, and not vice versa. We can say “Hi” to a friend, good friend or colleague, but it is unlikely, for example, that a schoolchild will greet his teacher like that.

If the interlocutors do not know each other, then after the greeting, an acquaintance should occur. It is customary to use such formulas as: “I would like to introduce myself ...”, “Let me introduce myself ...”, “Let me get to know you ...”, etc.

When the communication is over and the speakers disperse, you need to remember to say goodbye to each other. At the end of communication, the following formulas are used: "Goodbye", "Goodbye", "See you soon", "See you tomorrow". All of them mean the end of the conversation and farewell, although they have a different semantic coloring - a wish, a presentiment new meeting, or even doubt it at all (“Farewell”).

But in the main part of the conversation, we can use politeness formulas depending on the situation and the purpose of communication. For example, when you need to ask for something, phrases such as “I have a request for you ...”, “I would like to ask you ...” are used.

Be sure to use "Please", the same word is a politeness formula for responding to gratitude. Be sure to thank the person who fulfilled our request or provided assistance with the formulas “Thank you”, “Thank you”.

Expressing condolences to a person, they say: “Accept my condolences”, “I am very sorry”, “I grieve with you”.

There are many more similar expressions with a similar structure for many other situations, depending on the purpose, place of the conversation and the status of the participants in the dialogue, which are used to emphasize courtesy and respect for the interlocutor.

A high culture of speech is not just an indicator intelligent person, but also a quality that makes it possible to prove oneself advantageously in society, at an interview or at work.

Good manners are distinguishing feature smart people. But which manners are good and which are bad? Speech etiquette talks about good manners in speech, which will help you confidently communicate with people.

Speech etiquette is advice on respectful communication with other people. It is he who tells how to properly communicate with elders, colleagues, how to answer awkward questions. All rules come down to formulas of speech etiquette.

The rules of communication relate to meeting (acquaintance), communication during a conversation and its completion. They are applicable to oral and written speech, official and speech appeals.

Functions of speech etiquette

Speech etiquette makes communication pleasant. It is needed for polite conversation, correct appeals to senior and leadership positions. The functions of speech etiquette depend on the form of communication:

Speech etiquette appeared a long time ago, when people were just gathering in tribes. Even then, polite forms of address were applied to the heads of settlements and healers. The leaders, healers, warriors, priests had their own appeals, which have survived to this day.

Greetings were the first speech etiquette. Tribes danced in front of other tribes, bowed down or made other gestures. In China and Japan, they bowed with clenched palms, in Russia they did bends, and the deeper, the more respect was in the gesture. Now people all over the world are shaking hands, kissing each other on the cheeks, hugging and patting each other on the back.

The rules of speech behavior were especially popular among the nobility in the 17th-19th centuries. After the October Revolution, “comrade” and “citizen” became universal polite addresses. Before the revolution, the words master, young lady, sovereign were used. Abroad, the words sir, my lord, were popular. Now in a respectful form it is customary to say Miss, Mrs., Mr., Doctor, etc.

Now in Russia and the CIS countries there are no special appeals. It is customary to address strangers with “you”, “young man”, “girl”, “woman”, “man”.

Rules

It is simple and necessary to follow the rules of speech etiquette, beautiful and correct speech evokes sympathy from the interlocutor.

Here are the simplest rules of speech etiquette:

• • Say hello in full: not “hello”, but “hello”, use the words good afternoon and good evening. You can say hello to friends as you like, but "hello" is the most correct option;
  • Address strangers with "you". On "you" you can refer to a friend, relative or to the person who himself asked you about it. In a formal setting, you need to communicate with everyone on "you";
  • Don't call the person by their last name. A peer by name, senior by name and patronymic;
  • At the end of the conversation, say goodbye using the words: goodbye, bye, see you. It would be appropriate to say that I liked the communication, that it was pleasant to spend time with the person;
  • Don't interrupt. If you have questions, listen to the interlocutor to the end, perhaps he will answer the question. If not, then ask after a pause. Do not interrupt the interlocutor to tell a similar incident that happened to you. If the person is talking for a long time and you don't have time to listen, or you feel that the interlocutor can continue for a long time, politely stop him by saying that you would listen more, but you need to run. Sorry for interrupting. If the interlocutor has lost the thread of the conversation, you can say that he evaded the topic;
  • If you need to ask a question to a stranger, say "I'm sorry" or "Could you say...". Thank the person for any answer;
  • The first to extend a hand for a handshake should be a senior or a person with a higher position.