On dialectical relations of discourse practices in the legal field

The present article analyzes dialectical mechanisms of transition from one discourse practice into another one in order to approximate or distance intentional horizons of communicants. Differences in intentional horizons and illocutionary purposes determine the nature of social interactions and vectors of interpretations of signs. Discourse practices are referred to as traditional speech activities of a discourse community which are determined by a specific culture from linguistic and semiotic perspectives, involved in it and characterizing it. The article proves that discourse practices are constantly moving, following the laws of dialectical development in conformity with modern semiosis. The dialectical nature of discourse practices is a constitutive feature of modern communication. It suggests interrelation of three forms of discourse practices - Discourse of Differences, Discourse of Concord and Discourse of Expert Community. Dialectical co-existence of these forms of social interaction is due to the differences of possible worlds of communicants - an expert and a layman. The author argues that vectors of sign interpretation depend on the intentionality accepted in semi-osis. Depending on the nature of intentions, experts communicate using special terminology or form Discourse of Concord aimed at coming closer to experiences of laymen, or enter Discourse of Differences using signs with multiple interpretants which allow them to change connotations or replace meanings appealing to a more favorable definition. Under certain conditions, the interpretant can acquire unlimited extension and intention, and the term can be used as a manipulative mechanism for forming Discourse of Differences - an area for manipulation. The novelty of the research is due to the analysis of forms of social interaction of communicants (expert vs layperson) in the context of knowledge asymmetry. The article is a case study of English and Russian mass media and literary works (legal procedure stories and court TV shows). The validity of using this factual material for analysis of institutional communication is substantiated with reference to the possible world theory. In addition, analysis of legal discourse practices based on literary and mass media works helps to more deeply perceive objective reality since art works describe facts using generalized images and situations.

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