This article explores the role and functions of vocatives within rhetorical discourse, emphasizing their communicative and functional dimensions

Аннотация

This article explores the role and functions of vocatives within rhetorical discourse, emphasizing their communicative and functional dimensions. Drawing on a broad spectrum of theoretical and empirical studies, including works by Uzbek scholars (e.g., Alimov, 2018; Yusupova, 2020) and international researchers (Bühler, 1934; Hymes, 1974), it examines how vocative forms contribute to speaker–addressee engagement, persuasion strategies, and discourse cohesion. The analysis integrates insights from pragmatic theory, discourse analysis, and sociolinguistics to demonstrate the multifunctionality of vocatives in political speeches, academic lectures, and interpersonal communication. Special attention is paid to cultural and language- specific realizations in Turkic contexts, highlighting data drawn from Karakalpak, Uzbek, and Russian rhetorical traditions. By combining qualitative textual analysis with functional classification, the study offers a comprehensive framework for understanding how vocatives operate as dynamic tools of rhetorical positioning and audience management. Keywords: vocatives; rhetorical discourse; communicative function; pragmatic strategies; Karakalpak rhetoric; audience engagement; discourse cohesion; Uzbek linguistic tradition