SPECIFIC FEATURES OF THE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES IN GREAT BRITAIN

Abstract

This article concentrates on the peculiarities of the parliamentary debates as a type of the political
discourse. Parliamentary debates are analyzed as the certain speech genre that has its differentiating features. For this research the transcripts of the parliamentary debates in the UK in the post-Thatcherism period are chosen, particularly the transcripts of the debates in the House of Lords and the House of Commons during the Conservative and the Labour lead. These debates are investigated by certain parameters, taking into consideration the structural, semantic and pragmatic characteristic features. The debates show the strict time and theme regulations and the high association of the modern parliamentarian procedures with the customs and traditions of the past. The article also points out institutionalized and non-institutionalized peculiarities of the parliamentary debates in the UK. The profound analysis of the debates highly demonstrates not only the formal procedural rules and norms of the parliament, but shows the features inherent to the British national character.