English Slogans on Clothing: Linguistic Distinctiveness and Pragmatic Functions

Abstract

A semantic analysis of inscriptions on T-shirts (slogans) as elements of everyday discourse is provided in the article. Attention is paid to slogans that convey meanings significant in youth communication. The scientific novelty of the presented work lies in the fact that for the first time the features of slogans placed on clothes are revealed, their content, pragmatic functions and lexical-semantic features, as well as the correlation of slogans with the linguistic personality of the owner of a T-shirt with an inscription are considered. The author revealed that the basic pragmatic functions of slogans are self-presentation, appeal and shocking. Each of these functions has a number of sub-functions. Self-presentation is the leading pragmatic function. It has been proved that slogans are important components of the modern socio-cultural environment, integral elements of the communication process, verbal markers of the peculiarities of a linguistic personality. The key features of the linguistic personality of a young man who implements communication through a slogan on clothes are openness to social contacts, demonstration of personal qualities, attitude towards others and towards society as a whole, social activity, dedication, unconventional worldview, innovative thinking.

Keywords

• pragmatic function
• slogan
• communication
• linguistic personality
• discourse
• self-presentation