Small talk functions in institutional and everyday discourse

The article analyses discourse parameters of the phatic genre small talk in the context of interpersonal contacts in the situations of institutional and everyday communication. The article describes small talk communication as part of person-centered and status-centered discourse and phatic communication forms of contact type are investigated. Small talk is viewed as a set of communicative techniques targeted at providing the atmosphere of benevolence and state of good mood which are important for successful continuation of business or development of personal relations. Small talk is one of the main and most universal means of transformation between status-centered to interpersonal relations, that is why the usage of small talk promotes creation of a positive image in social network. Topics and targets of main communication which might follow the initial or precede final phases of communication could be various. However, it is always necessary to show first courtesies towards an acquainted or unacquainted person in formal or informal situation. This type of communication is implemented both in institutional and everyday discourse at different stages of communication, at the same time phatic intention may dominate or become of minor importance. A small talk dialogue as a low informative variant of social interaction is highly motivated and valuable considering the fact that with its help people show the desire to initiate a verbal contact, establish relations and maintain the interpersonal distance in communication of any sort.