Respondent

Kulyna Olha Vasylivna

Theme

Last Will and Testament as a socio-communicative phenomenon (based on English Last Wills and Testamnets of the mid XIX – early XXI centuries)

Defence Date

08.04.2019

Annotation

The research focuses on the complex analysis of the study of English Last
Will and Testament as a social and communicative phenomenon which reflects the
socially determined needs of a testator in the situation of bequest. Attention is paid to
genre features of Last Wills and Testaments and their implimentation in English wills
of mid XIX – early XXI centuries.
The research is carried out in the anthropocentric paradigm of modern
linguistic studies based on formal, functional and operational coordinate systems. A
formal coordinate system studies a genre from the viewpoint of compositional
features of text layouts and factors which determining their form. A functional
coordinate system deals with the analysis of the functional nature of language,
particularly lingual means (lexical units and non-predicative structures). An operatio-
nal coordinate system examines an object taking into consideration socially impor-
tant interrection which occur in the form of extanded speech construction which
consists of speech acts. The illocutionary force of these acts is subordinated to the
intention of communicants. The thesis postulates that Last Will and Testament be-
longs to a genre palette of testamentary discourse which is considered to be a subtype
of legal descourse.
Compositional and semantic genre structure is modelled and discursive
markers are proved to provide their integrity. The suggested classification is based on
structural and communicative features. It is substantial that all studied wills have a
typical structure: title, introduction of a testator, testamentary part, nomination of
fiduciaries (executor(trix), trustees) and self-proving affidavit are obligatory. Spi-
ritual part and revocation of previous wills are optional.
Lexical features of the given texts are established and lexical and semantic
groups of anthropocentric lexis which are common for this genre are singled out.
Non-predicative syntactic structures in which the mentioned lexis is used are
analysed. Structures of modification and coordination are the most freaquently used
in wills. The structure of complementation of a mixed type bears the main content of
a will: I BEQUEATH → SOMETHING → TO SOMEBODY.
Genre performative modelling is carried out and it is proposed to consider
English Last Will and Testament to be a complex performative. It is revealed that
three types of explicit performatives singled out by J. Austin are common for wills:
1) I verb that; 2) I verb to; 3) I verb. Performative speech acts are singled out:
exersitives show the decision of a testator about the distribution of property to a
certain person and appointment of executives (bequeath, direct, give, order, direct,
declare, device, leave, further, appoint, nominate, constitute, empower, vest, entitle,
assign); expositives reveal the act of revocation (revoke, void, rescind, annul,
disallow); commissives express a predisposition to a certain action (request, declare
my intention).
The last stage of the research describes conditions for a testator’s successfull
communicative goal using R. de Boogrange and V. Dresler’s seven parameters of
texuality. Attention is paid to the parameters of intentionality, acceptability, infor-
mativity and situationality.
Key words: legal discourse, testamentary discourse, genre of Last Will and
Testament, situation of bequest, genre features, genre performative modelling, comp-
lex performative.

Dissertation File

Autosummary File