Linguocultural codes: development and functioning of French honorifics

Abstract

The article examines the historical development of the systems of secular, academic, ecclesiastical, professional, court and aristocratic honorifics of the French language and honorifics as components of this system, clarifies the forms of the main abbreviations and the conditions of honorifics functioning, reveals their abbreviations and describes typical cases of their use. The aim of the article is to generalize the rules for using correct honorifics in French linguistic culture in official communication cases. The research materials comprise texts of business letters and documents from the official websites of governmental, religious and secular organizations of the francophone world countries. In the conducted research, we apply the structural research method, which led to the use of the distributive and component analyses. It is found that the use of honorifics is widespread in higher spheres of power, business environments, formal and traditional institutions, where special respect and politeness in communication is required. Honorifics are a special type of socially marked vocabulary, as they reflect hierarchical relationships and status roles in society. It is established that adequate honorifics are used in accordance with the communicative goal, and in specific situations the use of abbreviated forms is allowed or impermissible. The rules for the use of honorifics in French linguistic culture were formed during the development of the French-speaking society; they remain valid so far and are recommended to be followed, particularly in correspondence. Inadequate application of these rules violates the cultural and social codes of the French language and hinders the realization of the communicative goal. Prospects for research are determined by the area of socially marked vocabulary, specifically by issues of professional honorifics of the French language, for example, military honorifics.