The political language of the conservative nobility during the peasant reform period

The article examines the political language of the conservative nobility during the preparation and implementation of the peasant reform. As the intention of the government to abolish serfdom became evident to society and the general contours of this reform became clear, proponents of conservative ideals within the nobility sought to articulate their position on this pressing issue. The political language used by actors does not always literally coincide with the content of the statement. The author highlights the characteristics inherent in this language, both aimed at an external audience, that is, government officials, the educated public in general, as well as used within a circle of like-minded people. In the first case, the language of the conservative nobility is emphatically archaic, in the second case it is devoid of this distinctive feature. In addition, if necessary, the conservative nobility uses the argumentation and language of the liberal camp to defend their interests.