The article analyzes the autobiographical graphic novel of the Slovenian artist, illustrator and performer Samira Kentrić (b. 1976) “Balkanalia: growing up in the age of transition” (2015), in particular the hybrid nature of the genre of this work and its poetics. In this example, the genre incorporates elements of autobiographical comics strip, comics book about the war (in Bosnia), family album, graphic poetry, political illustration, philosophical parable, etc. Visual and textual narratives are designed to reflect the transculturality, the hybridity of the space of the former Yugoslavia, the territory between Bosnia and Slovenia, the two homelands of the protagonist, which became separate states during her growing up. The aesthetic layers are including images of classical artistic heritage, surrealism, popular, ethnic culture, as well as subcultural references (rock and punk music, graffiti), which the artist transforms into a unique fusion through postmodern techniques of irony and deconstruction.

The article as a whole describes the work of the Hungarian prose writer Mór Jókai, the topics and problemanics of his works. But the author’s attention is focused on the “Russian text” in the novels of Mór Jókai, compared with the “Hungarian text” in the works of Anton Chekhov in the 1880s.

The article is devoted to the history of authorʼs comments to Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General” – the article “Pre-notification for those who would like to play ‘The Government Inspector’ properly”. In refutation of the traditional dating attributing this work, without substantial arguments, to 1846, the author cites a number of facts that indicate that the origin of the “Pre-notification...” is connected with the history of Gogol’s creation in late December 1840 – February 1841 second edition of “The Government Inspector”.

The study is carried out within the framework of semantic communicative analysis. The functioning of Russian communicative means in conditions of fundamentally narrowed variability is shown (material of the musical “Dance of the Vampires” is used). The communicative level of the Russian language is proved to be a dynamic system, which is able in different special conditions (which arise owing to restrictions imposed by genre of the musical) to weaken (or eliminate) one groups of communicative units and strengthen the others, while preserving its characteristics in general. The aesthetic task of creation a certain character assigned to the actors is successfully performed with a support of various clusters of means. With one type of restrictions imposed on the personal toolkit of the actor, there are almost kinesic means (i.e. gestures) alone, with another type – minor sound means only (phonation, manner of vowels’ and consonants’ articulation, speech tempo etc). Nevertheless, the semantic charge of communicative units constantly turns out to be sufficient to form the strategy of communicative behavior of a character the actor needs. The fact of particular interest is also the possibility to indentify the communicative “matrix” introduced by the script and director’s concept.

The article discusses the two-aspect nature of the contribution of L.A. Yuzefovich into Russian culture, as a reflection of the specifics of his gift. The criterion for the writer’s achievements was chosen to be a double leader in the national literary prize «Big Book» (a unique case in its history). The purpose of the article is to show the genre specificity of the individual style of Yuzefovich, which doubled the significance of his works for Russian literature and culture in general. The well-known Bulgakovʼs metaphor is applicable to the work of this writer completely. In this case, the right and left hand of the pianist can be considered fiction and documentary proze. A writer’s achievements in each of these areas greatly contribute to his success in the other. The leading place in the work of Yuzefovich the fiction writer is occupied by a large epic form. His novels with criminal plot, as a rule, have a pronounced detective line. The action takes place in different eras in different locations. These are Moscow and Western Europe of the 17^th century, imperial Petersburg of the late 19^th – early 20^th centuries, Perm in the 1920s., etc. Specific historical details are reproduced in detail, the atmosphere of the era is recreated. Critics have repeatedly noted the writer’s ability to convey the spirit of the times in artistic form. The documentary prose of this author is a continuation of his scientific career (he is PhD in historical sciences). The beginning of this direction in his work was laid by the artistically revised dissertation research of the scientist. Subsequently, the main interest of Yuzefovich as the author of documentary proze focused on the events of the Civil War in Siberia and the Far East. The writer’s historical books have a fascinating plot and are written in good literary language. The best (to date) works of Yuzefovich of each of the named directions were awarded the Big Book Prize (the 1^st place), awarded for a significant contribution to Russian culture and increasing the social significance of Russian literature. These are the novel «Cranes and the Dwarfs» (prize 2009) and the documentary novel «Winter Road» (prize 2015). Both works reveal important stages in Russian history and, at the same time, deserve high praise for their artistic form.

The article deals with A. Kibovskyʼs atributation of the portrait of M.L. Dubelt. A version is proposed about the possible author of the portrait, stored in the State Hermitage. Based on M.L. Dubeltʼs recollections held at the Russian State Military Historical Archive, it can be assumed that the author of the portrait was not G.G. Gagarin, as previously thought, but V.F. Timm, whom Dubelt met in the autumn of 1849.

The article attempts to distinguish between three functions of the pre­sent form – praesens historicum, expositional present, renarrative present – in the first translation of the Gospel of John with commentaries by Theopylact of Bulgaria. The translator’s choice between the present tense and the aorist or imperfect as an equivalent for the original present form seems to depend on its function. Thus, praesens historicum, though more frequent than in other ancient redactions of Slavonic translation of the Gospel, is sporadically used in the translation of Gospel within the Theophylact’s work. Еxpositional present belonging to the verbs of speech and renarrative present used in the exegetist’s retelling of the Gospel are rather consequently translated with Church Slavonic present form.

The paper analyzes the phenomenon of “Art English” and its impact on Russian-language texts about art. The author examines the peculiar features of the curatorial texts translation from Russian into English and points out the key translation difficulties. The research materials are the curatorial texts posted on the website of the museum residence “Artkommunalka. Erofeev and others” Kolomna, Moscow region. The research proves that the main features of “Art English” are inherent to curatorial texts both in Russian and English. English has not only become an international language of communication, but also a “trendsetter” in the field of curatorial texts.

The collection of articles “Convention and Creation in Czech Language and Literature” continues the series published by the Polish Bohemians at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, edited by prof. M. Balowski. The collection is of interest not only for Slavists, but also for a wider range of linguists, literary critics and translation specialists as it offers a new look at the problem of linguistic and literary convention and creation, which go beyond the usual “traditions” and “innovation”. The authors of the articles included in the collection introduce new terminology into scientific use and offer its theoretical and practical justification based on the research of Czech literature, folklore, grammatical system, vocabulary and phraseology, translation studies and socially oriented discourse. The articles consistently suggest that the development of language, literature, and society as a whole is a continuous evolutionary process of interaction between the conventional and creative approaches.