CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN THE USE OF VOCATIVE FORMS IN BULGARIAN

Abstract

This study analyzes the historical development and contemporary usage of vocative case in Bulgarian – the only grammatical category which survived after the loss of the other case forms. The analysis traces the evolution of the vocative case from the Old Bulgarian period to the present day, emphasizing its role in direct address and emotional communication. The analysis clarifies the tendencies toward the decline of vocative forms in everyday speech and their persistence in formal and literary contexts through the use of descriptive, statistical and survey methods. Different scholarly opinions about the status of the vocative case are considered in the study – it is viewed either as a remnant of the case system or as a separate morphological category. The results demonstrate that vocative forms continue to function as means of expressing closeness and social interaction although their function is weaker.