The Rg Vedic hymn as a ritual speech event

In the present work I try to show how certain distinctive grammatical-rhetorical features of the hymns, such as frequent use of elaborate epithets, a rich arsenal of noun and pronoun address forms as well as a large variety of finite verb forms, can be accounted for from a pragmatic perspective by discussing them at the three main linguistic levels — morphology, lexicon, syntax. 10.39 is a representative laudatory hymn performed in a ceremonial setting, whose topic is related to the desire of a female speaker to find a good husband. The analysis is based on a socially and psychologically oriented application of pragmatic principles, namely, the politeness framework and it takes into account the specific context, on which the pragmatic interpretations are strictly dependent. The hymn is discussed as a communicative event, possible through the use of the Vedic language and designed to achieve specific ritualistic goals.