Transformation of the genre “public apology”

The article is devoted to the characteristics of the genre of public apology in the semantic and pragmatic aspect in the Russian mass media space. The choice of the subject is due to the growing popularity and increasing frequency of apologies made through media and social networks. This trend can be explained by changes in the socio-cultural landscape and the transformation of societal value orientations. The aim of the article is to substantiate the assumption that public apology, as a variant that emerged through the modification of the invariant model functioning in interpersonal interactions, is transforming into a homonymous genre that has different genre-forming characteristics. In recent years, the development of the so-called “cancel culture” has resulted in public resonance, harsh criticism and condemnation of particular actions (including speech) of people or organizations. Public apologies are an effective way to mitigate those negative consequences and try to save or restore reputation. This leads to a serious change in some genre-forming features, in particular, the disappearance of sincerity, the emergence of compelled speech acts, and a change in the addressee factor. The addressee of the apology is now seen as having two facets: nominal and real. The public apology functions as a reactive genre, which makes it possible to observe the transformation of the two-step implementation model (offensive action – apology) to a three-step one: offensive action – reaction of the public/representatives of government structures – apology. All this supports the conclusion that the public apology ceases to be a variant of the apology genre and is instead evolving into an independent hybrid genre. 

speech genre, genre-forming features, public apology, genre transformation