Features of External Dialogism Category Functioning in A. P. Chekhov's Prose
The results of research of features of external dialogism category functioning based on A. P. Chekhov's works of three periods (1880-1887; 1888-1994; 1895-1904) are presented. It is established that the external dialogism of Chekhov's narrative reflects the relations “author-narrator - reader” and finds its text expression through a number of means, including indicative verb and pronominal forms of the 2<sup>nd</sup> person plural, imperative forms, question-answering unities, interrogative sentences, “we”-forms. The correlation of external dialogism means in different periods of writer's work and the specificity of their use are considered. The functions of the external dialogism are described, among which there are universal and specific. “Universal” refers to functions of the means of actualization of “you”-sphere of statements in the texts of different stylistic affiliation. In Chekhov's works they are activation of reader's attention, marking the relations between subject and addressee of speech, as well as the designation of the recipient's status. “Specific” functions are functions determined by the peculiarities of the implementation of the external categories of dialogism in literary text. In the analyzed works, the author distinguishes the functions of expression of the author's assessment and indication of the semantic type of interaction between dialogical positions of the subject and addressee of speech.