Transformation of a Speech Genre: The Case of Russian Jokes

Elena Shmeleva, Moscow

The paper discusses the history of Russian jokes: the origin of this speech genre and its transformation in the twentieth century. In particular, it describes new characters of Russian jokelore (such as new Russians, Estonians, computer programmers, drug addicts) that have emerged since 1990.

The suggestion is made that at the beginning of 21st century reference to jokes is more popular than joke-telling. Russian jokes have become precedent texts; most often, they are not in the focus of attention, but are a source of winged words and proverbs.

In addition, a project of the “Dictionary of quotations from Russian jokes” will be presented. Not only direct quotations from jokes but also indirect allusions to them are taken into account. The paper discusses the structure of a lexical entry of the dictionary. Two examples follow:

Belyj i pushistyj
Joke: Myshka govorit ljagushke: «Kakaja ty protivnaja, skol’zkaja, xolodnaja!» – «Da, bolela ja, bolela. A ran’she ja byla belaja i pushistaja!»
Examples: Belye i pushistye («Izvestija», 4.07.03; 12.09.03); Sledujushchej zimoj muzhchiny stanut belymi i pushistymi. ( «Izvestija», 22.01.04); – Nel’zja byt’ belym i pushistym, – prodolzhil on [Putin]. – Pust’ togda uzh oni za stol peregovorov s ben Ladenom sadjatsja. A chto? A to xotjat byt’ belymi i pushistymi, a za stol peregovorov ne xotjat. («Kommersant», 22.04.04).

Gorjachie estonskie (finskie) parni
Joke: Poshli troe estoncev (finnov) — otec i dva syna — na rybalku. Sidjat oni chas, molchat, drugoj molchat. Cherez chas odin iz synovej govorit: «Ne kljuett». Proxodit eshche chas, vtoroj syn govorit: «Ne kljuett!» Proxodit eshche chas, otec govorit: «Nu chto, gorjachie estonskie (finskie) parni, svoej boltovnej vsju rybu raspugali!»
Examples: Estonec okazalsja pogorjachee finnov. «Kommersant», 12.08.03); Finn okazalsja gorjachee estonca («Kommersant», 15.04.03); Gorjachij estonskij samovar («Izvestija», 9.12.03); Noch’ gorjachix parnej. Mul’timediafestival’ sovremennogo iskusstva Finljandii «Noch’ nezavisimosti» («Bol’shoj gorod», 5.12.03); Gorjachij neneckij paren’ («Izvestija», 24.04.04).