Alethic and deontic means of evaluative argumentation in the discourse of fiction

Abstract

This article focuses on the cognitive-communicative and axiopragmatic aspects of argumentation that include system of statements, aimed at the denial or justification of any thought or message. From this perspective, it is advisable to speak abut two types of argumentation: alethic and deontic. Referent of alethic argumentation is truth, that is either approved or denied. Referent of deontic argumentation is actions, deeds, behavioral side of communicative situations in general. Alethic and deontic argumentation in evaluation statements are actualized in pragmatic contexts of four types: the obligation of assistance; a preliminary agreement (both context are characteristic of the deontic argumentation); the expectation of action caused by the attempts of persuasion of the correctness of a statement; intensive expression of the opinion (these types of contexts are characteristic of alethic argumentation). Alethic argumentation is often used in evaluation statements of informative-descriptive illocutionary type (argumentatives, constatives, descriptives), as the main purpose of such statements is belief in the correctness of a decision taken by the addressee. Deontic kind of argumentation is used in evaluation statements of declarative-expressive (comissives, expositives) and directive (requestives, injunctives, suggestives) types as the main communicative purpose of such statements is to encourage a particular action.