Rhetorical structure of Mikhail Lomonosov’s scientific language

The article aims to analyze to what extent and for what purposes the theoretical propositions outlined in Mikhail Lomonosov’s rhetorical works are applied in his natural science discourse. The material examined consists of essays written in the genre of “discourse”. The relevance of this research lies in the text-oriented approach of contemporary studies of scientific discourse, while its novelty stems from the lack of prior research on Lomonosov’s work from this perspective. It is shown that Lomonosov’s choice of a specific genre was influenced by extralinguistic factors, since he was to deliver a speech at a formal public meeting of the Academy of Sciences. The rhetorical structure of these works is evident in both the composition (including a panegyric-style introduction and conclusion) and the use of lexical and syntactic rhetorical elements throughout the text. The main categories of rhetorical techniques identified include “decorations”, “extension”, and “questioning”, with their functions being both merely rhetorical and supportive of contact with the audience. The overall conclusion drawn is that the rhetorical form used to present information in the context of a formal public speech did not conflict with the serious content of Lomonosov’s work and was compatible with the scientific discourse of the XVIII century.