Search

The present article is devoted to the analysis of the use of conceptual metaphors and their role in formation of political discourse of English-language media. For identifying the specificity of conceptual metaphors and their influence on this type of discourse, the article presents a grounded theory research, within which metaphoric concepts are chosen with the help of content analysis method. The research shows that conceptual metaphors are significant for both collective and individual identity. Moreover, they are a primary tool for transmitting beliefs, cultural values and knowledge of a nation. As the study is conducted within the frame of political discourse, the authors make attempts to specify the peculiarities and functions of conceptual metaphors in this type of discourse. The analysis reveals that conceptual metaphor serves: • to persuade the audience; • to explain intricate processes in more familiar language; • to give a scope to combine events and issues with a general political or cultural nature. The authors come to the conclusion that conceptual metaphor is supposed to be a discourse-making factor in the press which, on the one hand, represents a powerful means to influence the audience and, on the other hand, shows national consciousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the attempt to examine and analyze factors which influence the process of choice and preference of this or that national language as lingua franca by the global community, explores reasons and situations favoring the genesis of the English language as the global language, draws as analogy with other languages, which in different periods of the human history played the role of the universal communication language. It is assumed that the international communication reveals itself as an extralinguistic factor, which is its characteristic, and acts as the environment, providing the evolving and developing of the institutionally-discursive convergence modes and the choice of the tool of such convergence (the intermediary language) is made. The article looks into the synallagmatic nature of the "information society-universal language (lingua franca)" dichotomy, pointing out that in the process of communicating the values of the English-speaking world, the English language as lingua franca absorbs the peculiar patterns of the culture where it is used and maintained. Taking into consideration the fact that the English language is holding strong positions as the international communication tool, it's essential to study the phenomenon of the English language as international, and understanding the origins, roots and causes of the English language globalization may help to higher motivation in the formation and development of the foreign language professional competence of the English language learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the relevance of using the Intergenre Model of Scientific Text while teaching master students how to write primary genres in English. On the basis of the analysis of the Federal State Educational Standards for Higher Education in Russia the importance of teaching master students as research-oriented ones to write in English a scientific report and an abstract for a conference is emphasized. The characteristics of the primary scientific genres are given in the article while distinguishing between academic and scientific writing. The cognitive aspect of teaching scientific genres when knowledge is organized in the form of frames, scenarios, and other knowledge structures is considered. The cognitive approach and genre-based approach are considered to be the basis for developing the proposed intergenre model. The structural components of the model are presented. The model is described as an invariant and universal model corresponding to the stages of communicative and cognitive activity of a scientist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]