Abstract: In this theoretical article, the authors turn to the analysis of studies explaining the origin and revealing the functions and meaning of human oral speech within the framework of an evolutionary approach. First of all, the authors are interested in the influence of sexual selection on the development of verbal skills in different age and gender groups. In this regard, the data of the history of the human life cycle are of particular interest, which indicate that the mastery of language as a tool for influencing and manipulating the opinions of others approaches an advanced level of proficiency only at the time of puberty, and speech, thus, begins to play an important role in intersex competition. Rapidly developing with the onset of puberty, the ability to performative vivid performances, to defend their position, as well as to conduct debates in public, apparently, can be guided by the forces of sexual selection, and therefore, they should manifest themselves more clearly in men than in women. It is assumed that verbal mastery can serve as a means of actively attracting attention for the purpose of self-promotion and improving the social status of the speaker. The methodological basis of our work was largely the analysis of ethnographic sources. In the article, the authors cite extensive ethnographic material confirming the connection of high social status with oratorical abilities. The authors also turn to the latest research that analyzes the differences in performative speech between men and women. Experimental work shows that in a conversation with an attractive woman, men tend to be more creative in choosing words and expressions. Some researches consider the connection of various aspects of speech with the attractiveness of the speaker, his masculinity and adaptability. Of great interest are studies studying the relationship between musical abilities and attractiveness, as well as works analyzing the articulatory features of oral speech and their connection with belonging to a certain social environment or social class. All the features of speech given in the review could most likely have been formed by the pressure of the forces of sexual selection. In this regard, the study of sexual dimorphism seems to be one of the most important directions in the research of performative speech.

Keywords: voice pitch, masculinity, maturation, sexual selection, speech, language, life history, human evolution, leadership, eloquence

Abstract: For Russia as a multinational country, with a rich history and traditions, as well as a specific way of life, the topic of double faith is still relevant to this day. The subject of the study is the confessional markers of dual faith in the Mari and Udmurt cultures in modern settlements of the southern districts of the Kirov region. The aim of the work is to analyze the representation and visualization of the syncretism of paganism and Orthodoxy in the Mari and Udmurt cultures through confessional markers in the natural landscape of the southern districts of the Kirov region. The empirical basis of the research is the materials of the 2017-2023 expeditions to the Kizmez and Malmyzhsky districts of the Kirov region, where Mari and Udmurts live, who are third and fourth most numerous population of the Kirov region. Based on the methods of analyzing the features of religious and ethno-cultural interactions of these peoples and analyzing sacred objects inscribed in the natural landscape, the authors used methods of historical and cultural comparison and analysis of textual materials. New objects of the sacred natural landscape have been identified among the Mari and Udmurts, in which there is a deification of nature. It manifests itself in such confessional markers as sacred groves and fields where pagan deities, spirits of the forest were worshipped. In addition, the sacred meaning was carried by the sanctuaries of heroes and places associated with the souls of the dead, inscribed in the natural landscape of the area. The novelty of the research consists in clarifying the specifics of some rituals, supplementing information about the beliefs of the Udmurts and Mari, introducing new objects of the sacred cultural landscape into scientific circulation, which is designated as the intangible cultural heritage of the peoples of the Vyatka Region. The authors come to the conclusion that some fragments of pagan beliefs and rituals among the Mari and Udmurts still exist and are closely connected with the natural landscape and memories of places of worship, the historical memory of the people. At the same time, Orthodoxy has taken deep roots and strong roots in the hearts of these peoples. But the historical and comparative study of religious beliefs and rituals shows that the original syncretism of Orthodoxy and paganism of the Mari and Udmurts of the southern districts of the Kirov region serve as a means of ethnic identification in the formation of the sacred cultural and natural landscape.

Keywords: sanctuaries, sacred groves, natural landscape, Udmurts, Mari, syncretism, dual faith, Christianity, paganism, Kirov region

Abstract: In modern humanities, it is customary to consider naive art and naive literature as two separate phenomena. Based on this approach, the study of naive fine art is given over to art criticism, and the study of naive literature remains within the framework of philology and linguistics. Culturology explores culture as the historical and social experience of people, which can manifest itself in their work and is interpreted in the "cultural texts" of art. This article actualizes the need to move from narrowly focused research to a comprehensive approach: contextual study of visual and verbal works of naive artists. The objects of this study are paintings and poems by the naive artist Nadezhda Spirina (Ivanovo region, the city of Yuzha). The subject of the research is the aesthetics and poetics of the intertextuality of the works of a naive artist. The aim of the work is to analyze the stylistics and composition of paintings in combination with the poetic texts of the author. Tasks – search for intertextual references and reminiscences in the works of N. Spirina, the disclosure in her works of various practices of the author's self-reflection, testing the hypothesis of expanding the status of the work of a naive artist as a cultural text, taking into account the semantic features of verbal utterance for the perception and reading of the visual text, that is, the intertextuality of works of naive art. Synchronistic, comparative, biographical, psychological, semiotic, cultural and historical analysis are used. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the analysis of the stylistics and composition of the paintings of a naive artist in combination with the poetic texts of the author, which makes it possible to more accurately interpret the artist's mission, which forms his naive utterance.

Keywords: intertextuality, visual texts, verbal texts, narrative, naive author, naive literature, naive artist, Nadezhda Spirina, naive art, Ignatiy Chapkin

Abstract: The object of the article is the artistic life of Shanghai at the beginning of the 20th century, in which the most attention is paid to the study of the activities of art societies in order to scientifically reconstruct the creative process of Shanghai of the last century. The topic of the research is the contribution of the artistic associations to the cultural life of the city. Their activities are aimed at introducing European painting techniques and modernist trends into the visual culture of the country. The article attaches particular importance to the unique character of the city, tolerant and open to experiments in the field of visual culture. The paper describes three vectors of art development through the activities of art societies: upholding the foundations of traditional Chinese painting, the active inclusion of the European visual language and the synthesis of these two seemingly mutually exclusive streams. Using the historical method, the author analyzes the activities of art societies that significantly influenced the formation of a new scenario for the development of the visual culture of Shanghai in the first third of the 20th century. Firstly, at the beginning of the last century, this metropolis became the largest economic and cultural center of China. Secondly, most of the local artists who joined public organizations received Western education. Thirdly, the activities of art societies have significantly enriched and expanded the creative possibilities of the masters, attracted the attention of the population to the fine arts, and modernized the painting traditions of China. The author of the article comprehends the influence of Russian artists on the cultural life of Shanghai, and also focuses on the emergence and development of "female" art in Chinese culture during the period under study. This research has not only theoretical value, but also practical significance, and allow to determine the scenario of the development of Chinese fine art at the present stage.

Keywords: migrant, western art, artist, art exhibitions, traditional painting, fine arts, Shanghai, art societies, China, XX century

Abstract: Ñhatbot based on artificial intelligence is a comprehensive research and educational tool for Russian language teachers and Chinese students studying Russian language and culture. This article is devoted to the issue of integrating a chatbot into the educational process as part of the study of the Russian language by Chinese students. The possibilities of using a chatbot in the aspect of RFL in face-to-face and remote formats are considered, and its advantages and disadvantages in acquiring specific practical skills, in particular, when studying Russian numbers, are identified. The purpose of this research is to study the possibilities of using a chatbot to identify the meaning of language units and the correctness of grammatical structures, as well as cultural characteristics in the process of teaching Russian as a foreign language. The research method is to analyze the correctness and usefulness of the chatbot's (ChatGLM) responses to questions related to the Russian language and culture. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the consideration of practical aspects of using a chatbot for studying the Russian language and culture. The results of this study show that the chatbot is a useful tool and allows you to practice language, ask questions in Russian and Chinese and receive answers from the system. To a limited extent, the chatbot can correct errors, suggest correct phrases and help students improve their foreign language communication skills. Machine learning methods and technologies, such as the chatbot, can be used to improve foreign language skills in the context of cross-cultural communication if treated judiciously. The results can be used to create methodological developments in the field of Russian-Chinese intercultural communication, as well as in the process of learning relevant languages.

Keywords: language and communication, international education, Russian Chinese numbers, practical aspects, intercultural communication, RFL, Chinese students, Learning Russian language, language model, chatbot

Abstract: In the modern performance of ancient music, one of the central tasks of singers is the desire to decorate the melody independently. Taking into account the lack of knowledge and skills of Baroque improvisation among domestic performers, the decorations used often represent, in fact, only a technical element that needs to be dealt with. In this case, the ornaments have no artistic value, they sound faded, not corresponding to the main purpose – to emphasize the affect and enhance its expressiveness. The proposed article is aimed at solving topical problems in the field of Baroque performance related to vocal ornamentation and the transmission of the affect of the composition. The author of the article provides historical data on the characteristics of melisms and their focus on the expression of certain affects, which determines the scientific novelty of the study. The research methodology is based on a historical approach. Methods of analysis and synthesis are also of particular importance, thanks to which, when studying disparate data, it was possible to recreate the history of ornamental art in connection with the opera traditions of the first half of the XVIII century. The author's position is that any kind of ornamentation in ancient arias should be used in the melodic line in order to emphasize and enhance the affect of the composition being performed. When performing compositions of the time in question, it is important for a singer to understand the importance of decorating a melody as one of the main means of expression and, accordingly, be guided by the choice of jewelry. The author draws conclusions about the relationship and mutual influence of ornamentation and affect in the Baroque music. The material of the article and the conclusions will be useful to singers performing ancient music for its stylistically correct interpretation.

Keywords: decorations in singing, affects in music, style, ornamentation and affect, melisms, passages, vocal ornamentation, expressiveness in singing, Italian opera tradition, XVIII century