The article discusses the 85th anniversary of the Doctor of Philology, Professor of Saratov State University, M. A. Kormilitsyna. A well- known scientist in Russia and abroad, Margarita Anatolyevna has devoted her whole life to scientific activity. Together with her teacher and friend, O. B. Sirotinina, M. A. Kormilitsyna was at the origin of Saratov Linguistic School of the functioning of the Russian language.