Punctuation design of explanatory structures with metatextual indicators: on the example of metatextual indicator v smysle (in the sense)

The paper presents the observations on the punctuation design of the explanatory structure with metatextual indicators of an alternative v smysle in the modern Russian written language. The material - 968 contexts from the National Corpus of the Russian language, in which v smysle functions as an explanatory union - shows that the structures with the linking word can be formed as explanatory, insertions, and parcellates. Depending on the communication task, a writing person himself chooses a specific sign. In general, such a variety of punctuation marks fits into the “punctuation standard.” However, in many cases, the punctuation mark is placed not only before metatextual indicator v smysle but also after it. There are about 350 examples, one-third of the total cases, where there are no punctuation marks after v smysle, with other cases having this mark. The simplest explanation can be given to a colon: this sign duplicates the meaning of the explanatory linking word. As for a dash and a comma, their usage can be associated with the semantics of the explanatory design because these signs are often put not only after v smysle , but also after other explanatory units: to est’, imenno, vernee, tochnee. The author’s decision whether to put any punctuation mark is influenced by several factors: 1) in contrast to other explanatory units, the unit v smysle is not mentioned in reference books on Russian punctuation; 2) even those units mentioned in handbooks, in practice, are isolated in a very diverse manner; 3) v smysle, like any other meta-indicator, can be taken as an introductory word; 4) due to the semantics of the construction itself, it is possible to restore the missing semantic link after the explanatory linking word.