SPEECH ACT OF ACCUSATION IN THE DISCOURSE OF ENGLISH-LANGUAGE COMPUTER GAMES (BASED ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE GAME BALDUR’S GATE 3)

Abstract

The discursive aspect of computer games is of great interest due to the influence of this type of text on communication in English by game users, including those for whom English is not their native language. The study presents an analysis of speech acts of accusation, which are of particular interest due to the peculiarities of fictional characters in the game world – various mystical creatures use a bookish style in communication and often do not express their communicative intentions explicitly. The analysis reveals that the accusation is expressed through an assessment of the actions of another character, a direct speech act is practically not presented. The player must consider the corresponding communicative intention of the character and adequately respond to it in further decision-making during the development of the game plot. Accordingly, the discourse of computer games has a direct impact on the communication practices of people who are active players and often perceive such dialogues.