The expressive potential of vernaculars in the poetics of Vladimir Vysotsky

Abstract

This article examines the expressive potential of vernacular vocabulary and phraseology in the works of Vladimir Vysotsky, whose poetic and songwriting legacy occupies a special place in 20th-century Russian culture and is characterized by a vibrant linguistic personality. The aim of this study is to uncover and systematize the diverse artistic functions of vernacular units in his song lyrics, revealing their role in shaping the author's style and creating a distinctive aesthetic. The article employs methods of linguostylistic analysis, functional semantics, and elements of sociolinguistic and contextual approaches. The functions of colloquial speech, such as creating an effect of authenticity and realism, enhancing emotional expressiveness, characterizing characters, conveying social typification, and shaping ironic, satirical, or tragic pathos, are analyzed. It is shown that for Vysotsky, colloquial speech served not only as a means of stylization but also as a powerful tool for expressing the author's profound position, contributing to the creation of a unique "speech mask" and direct communication with the listener. The results of the study deepen our understanding of Vysotsky's idiostyle and contribute to the theory of functional stylistics, lexicology, and linguistic analysis of literary text. This work will be of interest to philologists, cultural scholars, literary scholars, and all admirers of the great bard's work.