So for a minute if that

From June 17 to June 20, 2020, the 26th International Conference on Computer Linguistics and Intellectual Technologies was held in the online format [ 1 ]. We publish an adapted version of the report with which the Vedas made. scientific. sore. sector of theoretical semantics of the Institute of the Russian Language. V.V. Vinogradova RAS Irina Levontina .

In the book “Stars and a little nervous”, philologist Alexander Zholkovsky mentions “ The English gentleman, on the example of which the concept of Undertatement is illustrated. When a spore arises among his guests about what Zanzibar is, and someone says that this is such a bird, someone - that it is a fish, etc., he is silent for a long time, until he finally does not allow himself to assume that, it seems, Zanzibar is somewhere in Africa, and this despite the fact that he served the governor of Zanzibar for twenty years! ". Understatement - a rhetorical technique that consists in the fact that the approval is more weak than it could be done (UMBLE, less confident, presented as unimportant).

Indeed, Undertatement is perceived as a typically English modus dicendi and as a core specifically English humor. This, of course, does not mean that such a rhetorical technique is impossible in Russian. And in Russian, in principle, we can say: “I'm afraid that I am not in Moscow” or to call a failure performance not very successful . Reducing categoricality is one of the standard techniques for giving a politeness. We often say softly: “It seems to me that you are not entirely right” when you are actually sure that the interlocutor carries perfect nonsense.

In addition, the Russian language is very characterized by a combination of diminution, softening with sarcasm or irony (that is, using the words “in the opposite sense” for rhetorical purposes), like that of Griboedov:

Famusov
Tell me, did you like her?
Put the light; Would you like to marry?

Chatsky
What do you have?

Famusov
I would not be bad to ask,
After all, I am somewhat akin to her ;
At least Iskoni
It was not without reason that the father was called.

(Grief from the mind, action II, phenomenon 2)

It is clear that the father is the closest relative and the underestimating expression several akin to Famuses uses here sarcastically to subtract Chatsky. This can be used a variety of words with the meaning of a small degree: a little, slightly, slightly -including all kinds of slang and reduced expressions: a slonz, half a razor, half a jacket , etc.

This technique is widely used in the so -called conflict dialogue:

I , in my opinion, did not ask you!

I seem to have ordered to be silent!

I did not seem to ask for advice!

In all these cases, the speaker actually simply states the fact that he did not ask, ordered, did not ask, etc., and the addition of an opinion or uncertainty makes the statement especially irritated.

Similarly, importance indicators (the so -called thymiological) are used:

-Something happened? - Yes, they fired me.

Yes, so indicates low importance; At the same time, most likely, dismissal is an important event for a person, and therefore the answer sounds polemic.

Compare two examples:

- Am I at the right time? -Well, I actually sleep, but if something urgent ...

- Why are you calling at one in the morning? I actually sleep!

In the first example , actually used in the direct mode: what I sleep is a circumstance that can be neglected in an emergency. In the second example, it would be neutral, for example, I am sleeping , that is, the emphasis of the inappropriateness of such a late call, but sarcastically used, actually , reducing the importance of the argument. Because of this, the reproach becomes more expressive, even aggressive.

Very typical and “squabble” use by the way :

- The price has changed, we just did not have time to rewrite the price tags!

- By the way, the price tag is a public offer, and you must sell me the goods at this price!

The fact that the price tag is a public offer is actually not at all “by the way”, but just the most important thing is what the speaker appeals to. It is as if such a “weakening” word worsens the position of the speaker, but in fact it gives a replica some ferventness and pressure, as in the speech of the famous scandalous waitress:

- And with an ulcer, by the way , they do not go to restaurants! They sit with an ulcer! .. ( Eldar Ryazanov, Emil Braginsky. Station for two, 1983 )

Recently, new language units have come into fashion, which, in meaning, should reduce the tension of the situation, but are used for polemic pointing: for a minute/ for a second (this is my apartment for a minute!) ; If anything (this, if that, my apartment!) ; But nothing, what ... (But nothing that he is my boss?).

So, the expression for a minute is now often used not only in the sense of 'shortly' (take scissors for a minute) , but also in a special meaning that is not related to instructions for the time:

What does it mean "how do I know this"? This is my profession for a minute ! ( Dmitry Dyachenko et al. K/f "Radio Day", 2008 )

It is also impossible not to mention the wonderful “powder”, whose heroes are Dmitry Mendeleev and Alexander Blok:

Then you will add about the pharmacy
I'm your father -in -law for a minute
I analyzed the alcohol here
Vytry

Similarly, expression for a second is used. The peculiarity of these expressions is that outside the temporary context they are always used sarcastically. At the same time - unlike for a minute and for a second - for a minute, for a moment, for a second, for a moment, they are not used for a moment . Thus, here we have a completely lexical figure of speech. These are special units that should be fixed in the dictionary.

The next fashionable expression from this series is that (there is still a similar turn for just in case , but it is not so popular yet). Unlike for a minute , if anything can just be used in a “direct” (decreasing) mode: if anything, call (the offer to call unobtrusively limits on special cases, it is simply not proposed to call, and the sentence sounds less enthusiastically.)

In recent years, this expression has become actively used in an expanded value, approximately synonymous with the way :

The budget was entrusted to me. If anything , the humanitarian, I do not understand at all in estimates and numbers [ 2 ].

Here, if something is understood approximately how 'if you suddenly did not know' or 'if you are suddenly interested.'

And besides, it is also used for sarcastic decrease. Here the author complains that due to a failure in the computer program, I had to reinstall everything:

And I. If something , I work without days off for 12 hours a day, even read to the freight and there is no time to answer comments [ 3 ].

In the next example, a person blames on Twitter to his interlocutor that she does not immediately answer, she is temperamentally justified, which, they say, does not have time, but he does not accept excuses:

- You will ignore me !!!!!!!!

- I do not have time to answer you because !!!!!!

-And I must have time actually if that [ 4 ]

It is interesting here that the writer uses three revolutions for persuasiveness, expressing a low thymiological assessment: actually, if that .

And perhaps, the expression with the greatest “polemic enthusia” from this series is a turn (a) nothing that ... He also has a “direct” mode of use:

- Nothing that I'm in shoes? - Nothing, I haven't washed the floor yet.

However, in recent years, its use in a sarcastic sense has been unusually popular. Moreover, since the direct mode is nothing ... draws up a request for permission or apology, implying the dependence of the speaker on the addressee, then with the sarcastic use of the phrase with nothing that sounds mockingly. For example, lawyer Anna Stavitskaya sarcastically writes on the social network:

Today, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation filed a cassation submission for the verdict in the case of Konstantin Kotov and asked to reduce the punishment of Kotov to 1 year in prison! < ... > But nothing that the prosecutor in the court of first instance asked for 4.5 years in prison to Kotov, and in the appeal the prosecutor's office also agreed with the punishment!? It turns out that the prosecutors were not right, who asked such a severe punishment and now they also need to be punished? !!! [ 5 ]

Here is also an incredibly ridiculous record, which was completely built on the back of nothing that ... The plot is that the girl thought that the boutique saleswoman was not kind enough (the author’s spelling and punctuation were preserved):

And so I stand in this golden store, and inside everything is torn by laughter !!! < ... > Because, if we say, how is it - nothing that I bought my first "packs" in Paris, just like that - like a memory of the Louvre? But nothing that I was dressed in natural suede boots with snake skin inserts? But nothing that I only go in natural Wilson? But nothing that I have all the gold are decorated with abdomen? But nothing that I have a cool phone? But nothing that I do not wear any hours except “Swatch”? And nothing that I do not work, but just sit at home and do what I want? But nothing that I will cut the fashionable hairdressers? But nothing that I have all the cosmetics and parfameria bought in Sefora (Barkar - did not even stand nearby)? But nothing that I live in a steep area? But nothing that my guy works in MaycraSoft and the floor of Ukraine is praying for it? But nothing that I have not yet unpacked the bags after walking in Barcelona? But nothing that in the morning I handed over documents for a trip to Switzerland for the New Year? etc. ...

And after all of the above, I will be some kind of dull saleswoman with his miserable mouth, ask - I will find out for myself the price ??? Or do I have enough money ??? [ 6 ]

Very often this expression is recorded as nothing ... (less often nothing) :

I insist that calls from your bank at night and any other time do not bother me anymore, you are not awesome there, call at night? Nothing that people are going to work in the morning and they are already sleeping? After the next call, I will write a complaint to the FAS [ 7 ] .

It is curious here that right before our eyes, individual expressions do not just appear, but a special speech gesture is included in fashion, a characteristic way to respond to the words of the interlocutor. For this manner, a verbal shell is selected by itself: old expressions are pulled, activated, and there are new, and immediately a whole cohort. So it works in the language.

Irina Levontina