Genre originality of the modern diplomatic discourse

Abstract

This paper deals with the diplomatic discourse as an independent type of institutional discourse, which is characterized by its genre array of texts. Using the publications of different genres posted in the public domain on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in 2016, the authors make an attempt to systematize the main existing genres of diplomatic discourse. In the course of the study, the authors state that the existing genres of diplomatic discourse are divided into verbal and written. Having listed the major writing genres of diplomatic discourse, the authors describe the most striking features of the language, which these texts abound with. In particular, the authors give examples containing the official formula of diplomatic courtesy and etiquette vocabulary. Among the popular verbal genre the authors in more detail consider the genre of statement. The linguistic characteristics of diplomatic statements include, according to authors, the prevalence of verbal constructions of 1st person plural, the lack of categorical expressions in sentences, the presence of evaluative words, and the impersonal messages. The authors emphasize the complexity of the typology of diplomatic discourse genres, because in the communication the different types of discourses constantly interact and penetrate each other. The paper describes and gives examples of genres of political discourse existing in the diplomatic discourse. In addition, the authors also identify small genres related to either internal activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of RF, or the activities of international organizations.