LINGUISTIC EQUIVALENTS OF GESTURES IN HELENA PAWLIKOWSKAS MATRIMONIAL CORRESPONDENCE (Jezykowe ekwiwalenty gestów w korespondencji malzenskiej Heleny Pawlikowskiej)

The article focuses on the problem of phrases which copy or replace gestures people make during face-to-face communication. It is a question usually raised by socio- and pragmalinguistic. The text is based on Helena Pawlikowska's letters to her husband Mieczyslaw sent during the second half of the 19th century. The author characterises Pawlikowska's language as well her epistolographic culture but mainly he proves that in the private letters one can find both well known phrases and words, as well as sentences used only in unofficial contacts among family members.