Farewell formula as an element of the textual framework in Polish epistolography of the 17th and 18th centuries

The subject of the article is the farewell formula present in Polish epistolography of the 17th and 18th centuries. It is an important element in the structure of a letter and a determinant of its genre. The formula has primarily a phatic and pragmatic function, that is, it extinguishes and ends the contact between the partners in an epistolary dialogue while maintaining an atmosphere of politeness. In addition, it has a delimiting function, that is it sets the boundaries of the epistolary text and ensures its coherence. The farewell formula may be a statement of the end of the epistolary dialogue e.g. with these words I conclude (tymi słowy kończę), or it may signal an indirect intention to end the dialogue — by indicating the exhaustion of the topic e.g. I have nothing more to report; I have nothing more to announce (więcej nie mam co donieść; więcej nie mam nic do oznajmienia) or the necessity to abandon contact for the sake of the addressee e.g. I do not want to bother you reading my words, I do not tell old chestnuts (nie bawię pisaniem, nie zatrudniam ramotą).