Anatomy of early modern letters: functions of structural elements

Куц, Аліна Геннадіївна (2025) Anatomy of early modern letters: functions of structural elements Науковий вісник Міжнародного гуманітарного університету. Серія: Філологія, 1 (74). pp. 89-92. ISSN 2409-1154

Text A_Kuts_NVMGU.pdf - Published Version Download (381kB)

Abstract

The article offers a comprehensive examination of the structural and functional dynamics of Early Modern English epistolary discourse. Letter is a complex and codified communicative artifact that evolved significantly from its Middle English antecedents. Unlike the often fragmentary and pragmatically driven letters of the Middle English period, Early Modern English correspondence exhibits a clear tendency toward formalization, symmetry, and genre-specific differentiation. This transition is interpreted as a reflection of broader sociolinguistic processes: the rise in literacy, the influence of Renaissance humanism, and the increasing bureaucratization of written communication. Central to the study is the identification and functional categorization of the constituent components of the Early Modern English letter: superscription, vocative, opening formula, main body, closing formula, subscription, and postscript. Each of these structural elements is shown to perform distinct yet interrelated pragmatic, social, and rhetorical functions. For instance, the superscription serves a logistical purpose in an era lacking standardized postal systems and functions as a marker of social status and spatial identity. Similarly, the vocative reflects the communicative norms of politeness, subordination, and affective alignment, acting as both a mechanism of interpersonal engagement and an index of socio-political relations. The article situates within the frameworks of functional stylistics, pragmalinguistics, and historical sociolinguistics, advocating for a multi-dimensional approach to the study of historical discourse. Letters from Anne Boleyn, Katherine Parr, and Bess of Hardwick illustrate how formulaic language and rhetorical devices were strategically employed to navigate social relations and reinforce existing structures of power.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	early modern letter; letter structure; superscription; salutation; opening formula; body; closing; subscription; postscript; pragmatic functions
Subjects:	Статті у періодичних виданнях > Фахові (входять до переліку фахових, затверджений МОН)
Divisions:	Факультет романо-германської філології > Кафедра англійської мови та комунікації
Depositing User:	Аліна Геннадіївна Куц
Date Deposited:	01 Dec 2025 11:39
Last Modified:	01 Dec 2025 11:39
URI:	https://elibrary.kubg.edu.ua/id/eprint/54026

Actions (login required)

View Item