The urban bilingual environment as a synergetic space of discursive linguistic creativity
This article examines quasi-quotations as a manifestation of linguistic creativity among Armenian-Russian bilinguals functioning within a multicultural urban environment. Quasi-quotations are defined as modified precedent utterances that retain reference to an original cultural source while undergoing semantic and/or structural transformation. The relevance of the study arises from the insufficient exploration of the mechanisms underlying the transformation of precedent units in the urban discourse of Armenian-Russian bilinguals and the need to describe the pragmatic functions these constructions perform in intercultural communication. The study aims to identify the transformation strategies applied to precedent utterances and to determine their pragmatic and functional potential within the discursive practices of urban bilinguals. The empirical material comprises samples from everyday, media, and educational discourse produced by Armenian-Russian bilinguals, in which precedent constructions undergo semantic and structural reinterpretation. The methodological framework integrates pragmalinguistic analysis, interpretive approaches, and descriptive linguistic methods. The theoretical and methodological foundation of the research draws upon the principles of cognitive linguistics, linguoculturology, theories of bilingualism and intertex-tuality, as well as the linguosynergetic approach developed by S.K. Gural and M.V. Smokotin. Within this framework, bilingual discourse is conceptualized as a selforganizing communicative system that evolves through the nonlinear interaction of linguistic and cultural codes. The concept of the synergetic field enables the interpretation of the speech behavior of Armenian-Russian bilinguals as a dynamic process of meaning construction, in which cognitive, cultural, and pragmatic structures remain in a constant state of interaction and mutual transformation. In this respect, quasi-quotations are analyzed not only as manifestations of linguistic creativity, but also as elements of the self-organization of bilingual discourse, reflecting the synergetic integration of cognitive models and cultural scenarios within a multicultural urban space. The findings demonstrate that quasi-quotation functions as a productive mechanism for the reinterpretation of cultural texts through truncation, lexical substitution, expansion, prosodic restructuring, and interlingual adaptation. The main communicative functions of quasi-quotations include irony, emotional evaluation, identity marking, linguistic play, and interpretive nuance. These constructions reflect the semiotic flexibility and intercultural competence of the secondary linguistic personality operating within the polycultural dynamics of the modern city. The novelty of the research lies in its integrative treatment of quasi-quotation as an independent linguistic phenomenon within bilingual urban discourse and in highlighting its role in activating cultural memory and expressing personally significant meanings. The proposed typology of transformation strategies and pragmatic functions provides practical implications for further studies in bilingualism, pragmatics, and sociocultural linguistics. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.
Keywords
bilingual urban discourse, precedent text, quasi-quotation, Armenian-Russian bilinguals, linguistic creativity, urban semiotic flexibilityAuthors
| Name | Organization | |
| Savchenko Irina A. | Federal Research Sociological Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Sociology | teosmaco@rambler.ru |
| Grdzelyan Ruzan R. | Yerevan State University | ruzangrdzelyan@gmail.com |
| Barseghyan Svetlana S. | Vanadzor State University | svetlana-barsegyan@yandex.ru |
References
The urban bilingual environment as a synergetic space of discursive linguistic creativity | Yazyk i Kultura – Language and Culture. 2025. № 72. DOI: 10.17223/19996195/72/3