Search

The article under review presents a comparative study of the key features of ecological discourse (ED). The theme of ED is as vital linguistically as it is urgent environmentally. ED presents a complex phenomenon of speech and communication distinguished by a peculiar social and linguistic context. Applying the techniques of discourse analysis the article juxtaposes features of ED as they are manifested in narrative [ND] and media discourse [MD]. The undertaken analysis involves the comparison of participants, places and time of ED in both types of ED. The study below tackles the contrast of these two types of ED on the lexical and stylistic levels. Modern investigations into the nature of any type of discourse deem it necessary to highlight strategies and tactics embedded in the texture of the discourse thus emphasizing its social context. We conducted a similar analysis contrasting strategies and tactics in the two types of ED. As the study shows ED in the narrative discourse is characterized by indirect impact and artistically suggestive connotations with ecological topic presented as a hypothetical model. Whereas in the media discourse the paradigm of authenticity and direct experiences prevails with emphasis on exact names, places, events described laconically but emphatically. Both types advance a positive pragmatic stance to ensure nature protection is viable and to inspire the reader to contribute. The authors draw on the heuristics of western scholars in the field of discourse and media discourse such as A. Bell, L. Chouliaraki, N. Fairclough, T. A. van Dijk, R. Wodak. Among Western linguists preoccupied with Ed we find works by A.Fill, A.Stibbe, W.Zhou, S. Chen most relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors of the article are concerned with allusive proper names (APNs) functioning in the narrative discourse as culturemes (by Russian linguist V.V. Vorobyev) which mark fragments of social and cultural experience of humanity or lingvocultural communities. APNs are positioned above the vocabulary of common currency. Originating from the sphere of social and cultural practice they serve to concisely if not symbolically designate various parts of the semantic structure of the narrative discourse and introduce humanitarian knowledge into it. APNs refer to the actively discussed phenomenon of intertextuality with its thorough analysis in the heuristics of Western (Julia Kristeva, Roland Barthes) and Russian linguists (Michael Bahtin, Irina Arnold). The theory of the vertical context elaborated by O.S. Ahmanova and I.V. Gyubbenet is essential to describe the semantics of APNs, while the theory of semantic reduplication by N.A. Shehtman makes it possible to clarify the mechanism of accentuation and reduction of the encyclopedic information concealed in APNs. The key property of APNs is the wealth of associations that they carry. It meets the basic requirement of the narrative discourse for information extension when the linear surface structure is not equivalent to the deep undercurrent meaning. Given this APNs bring into the narrative discourse a multiplicity and ambivalence of interpretation and contribute to the construction of the undercurrent. The author turns to D.H. Lawrence's works for the analysis of practical material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on modeling the macrostructure of discourse-world of the political event as derived from G20 Leaders' Declaration and publications united by the theme of 2017 summit. The purpose of the authors is to reveal basic macroframes that are viewed as cognitive 'pillars' of discourse world of one of the most crucial political events of the past year - international forum for economic cooperation. The notion of discourse world macrostructure draws on World-Modelling Theory initially inspired by Text-World Theory, introduced by Werth, Gavins, Semino and then expanded upon contemporary cognitive-discourse approaches proposed by Russian scholars Kubryakova, Boldyrev, Demyankov, and Socio-cognitive Theory of discourse, introduced by van Dijk. Discourse world of political event is treated as representational structure of discourse having its macrostructure that is made explicit on the level of discourse topics. It is argued that global economic challenges specify basic macroframes that constitute the macrostructure of the discourse world. In the present research, the established macroframes are grouped into three cognitive-semantic fields - 'Man and Society', 'Man and Nature', and 'World Economy'. It is proved that discourse world macrostructure has economic ideology and political intentions behind the linguistic expressions. Correlations are found between discourse world macrostructure of the political event and major political and economic initiatives aimed at changing for the better economic life of the global community. The conclusions might present interest for further investigation of the socially-determined discourse structures that govern the perception of the political events by mass audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on pragmatic effects of boulomaic text-worlds as a variety of modal worlds created in advertising discourse. Text-worlds are treated as a type of pragmatically-orientated representational structures of advertising discourse establishing and maintaining relationships between agent and client as main discourse participants. The paper presents an element of a broader World-Modelling Concept [7] - one of the contemporary theories of discourse representation based on Text World Theory initially developed by Semino [12], Werth [15], Gavins [2], and then expanded on contemporary theoretical approaches of Russian scholars such as Kubryakova, Dem'yankov [5]. The pragmatic effects of boulomaic text-worlds are analyzed with the machinery of the named theory to unravel discourse 'power' enabling advertising agents to influence the opinions of the target audience. Boulomaic text-worlds are textualized through different lexicogrammatical realizations. In this study it is shown that verbs want, wish and hope are commonly employed by agents of discourse to express boulomaic modality, including descriptions of wishes, desires, and fantasies of both the agent and the client. It is argued that within the range of modal text-worlds created in advertising, boulomaic text-worlds are used to articulate the hidden desires and wishes of the potential customers and stimulate them buy the promoted products. It is noted that the agent of advertising discourse has consumerism ideology behind the linguistic expressions he uses. The pragmatic effects of boulomaic text-worlds represented by lexical verbs are discussed from the point of the construal of mental representations in which the relations between the product, the client, and the producer conform to what the relevant person desires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the framework of cognitive-discourse approach, the authors focus on the conceptual effects of metaphors used in commercial advertising for the sake of sales promotion. The article gives insights into the construction of pragmatically-orientated mental representations activated by metaphors as means of persuasion and entertaining the target audience. The authors chiefly draw on Text World Theory [1], [6], [7], [10], [11], [12] and Conceptual Blending Theory [5] because their heuristics can provide an adequate model of the text-driven discourse-level conceptual structures created in the minds of recipients. Text-worlds are viewed as mental representations 'which enable us to conceptualize and understand every piece of language we encounter' [6: 2]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]