The categorical textual approach to describing the written discourse of the executive power

The article considers the categorical textual approach to studying genres of the written discourse of the executive power. The concepts of speech genre and text are compared. Speech genre is understood as a typical model of text construction, functioning in repetitive communicative situations. In this case, the model of a genre text type is a variant of manifestation of the text categories within the invariant function of the executive discourse (as a kind of specific intra-stylistic variety), and then - of the macro style in general. Text category is interpreted as a typological feature of the text, which makes it possible to qualify this text as a sample of a certain text type. A set of categories essential for the analysis of genres of the executive power written discourse is determined: the categories of theme, composition, authorization, addressing and tonality. The selection of the above mentioned categorial features is justified by the major parameters of a communicative situation, as well as by the specificity of a particular sociocultural activity in the sphere of public administration. The author describes an algorithm of categorical textual analysis of the selected material, which consists of three stages: 1) revealing the addresser’s communicative intention; 2) enumerating linguistic means of various levels used to express text categories and characterizing the way these are arranged throughout the text; 3) constructing a genre model of explication of the text categories. It is concluded that categorical textual analysis enables us to describe the whole system of written genres of the executive power discourse on a common basis. The proposed theoretical provisions are demonstrated based on one of the genres of the executive power discourse - a business letter containing an official response to a citizen’s appeal. The author of the article determines the features of the implementation of the mentioned text categories in the structural elements of the document, draws conclusions about the dominance of the category of tonality, outlines the genre model of implementing text categories in the letter of response to a citizen’s appeal.