Popularization of new scientific knowledge: discourse expert community of XVIII century

The author considers relevant issues, related to the study of the popular science discourse space. This discourse is interpreted as a product of an institutional subject activity - the scientific expert community, and as a result of an individual's discourse activity (research scientist), who generates and interprets popular science discourse, drawing on his colleagues assisted experience, disseminating the results of their research, seeking recognition in society. Purpose. It is defined that credible sources of information, including experts, have the greatest potential impact on the addressee who receives new information. Material. It is revealed, that the credibility of philologists who participated in the creation of the Encyclopedia by D. Diderot and J.L. D'Alembert was based on their communicative leadership. It implied the author's encyclopedic domination (deep knowledge of the processes of scientific development and ability to describe them, high cultural level) and linguistic competence (literary norm mastery and the use of prestigious language forms). The election of the new popular science genre to defend their scientific views reflected the communicative leadership of the creators and authors of the Encyclopedia. Findings. As a result, it is proved that the French Encyclopedia of the XVIII century became a vivid example of a new and significant for that time popular science genre. The invitation of personalities remarkable for the Enlightenment period, popular among educated and reading public as authors contributed to an undoubted authority of this reference book.