The Linguocultural Type “Student”: A Narrative Dimension

The aticle aims to study student narrative through which the linguocultural type “student” is considered. The analysis was based on narratives from the Internet, fiction, as well as on the results of the survey data. Overall, 7,786 episodes were analyzed. The use of conceptual, narrative and interpretative methods gave us an opportunity to characterize student narratives, highlight their varieties, and describe peculiarities of conceptual, figurative and value characteristics of the concept of the analyzed type in the context of the proposed classification. According to the research, narrative events give an opportunity to consider the linguocultural type “student” from the perspective of “planes of point of view” (according to V. Schmid), narratological instances, as well as plot reasons “considered as key points of the narrative” (according to V.I. Karasik). Typical student-life narratives go through the system modeling and then are divided into varieties such as simple (ordinary), comic, and instructive. The principle of functionality and the nature of the event are the basis for distinguishing types of student narratives. Simple (ordinary) student narratives are narrative texts about student life. By the nature of events, they can be united into thematic groups: the first exam period; preparation for exams; dormitory stories; celebration of significant dates; sporting events. Among ordinary narratives, there are special ones united by one motive of fate and its inevitability. These ordinary narratives contain situations of choice which lead to considerable changes in the student’s future life. Comic student narratives are based on funny episodes, funny incidents remembered for the comic element or black humour. Narratives with a comic effect are more often associated with passing an exam, with curious cases in a dormitory or during internship; they are presented in the genre of a joke, tale, staging, caricature, rhyme, aphorism, status for social networks. The comic conflict in humorous narratives is presented by the dyad “student-teacher”, “student-commandant”, etc. , which is resolved in favor of an original decision and way out. Instructive narratives occupy a special place in student life and are presented in the style of a parable based on an experiment. The instructive moment of the experiment for many students serves as a motive for certain actions (for example, prioritizing, changing lifestyles, etc.). In spite of difficult relationships between generations, points of view and preferences, the presence of a wise mentor (teacher, master, etc.) in the life of ambitious modern students allows them to rethink the value system and determine the main guidelines. Thus, the study of student language personality through a narrative dimension gives an opportunity to consider the investigated type comprehensively and to identify significant aspects which influence the student’s image and form their life story.

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