Role of euphemisms in information war

Abstract

This article is devoted to the role of political euphemisms as the manipulative means of modern information wars on the example of the Syrian conflict. It is considered in detail: the concept of information war, its characteristic features, objectives, means and methods. One of the unarmed means of information resistance is the media as a regulator of general-governmental opinion, has a wide arsenal of verbal means, in particular, operating with euphemisms that in case of military conflicts characteristic manipulative component is typical. An analysis of the factual material illustrating the Syrian conflict, clearly presented, is the possibility of manipulative use of euphemistic expression in the publications of the media to exert such influence on the minds of the public that later became possible to change cognitive and behavioral patterns. Usage of euphemisms is often explained by the needs of political correctness, but the latter, in fact, is nothing more than a tendency of political discourse to comply with the measure of language, diplomatic etiquette, which are expressed in implicit form of transmission of information to create the desired image for the government. In other words, “politically correct” language tools in the information war are not in connection with the ideas of tolerance, but rather are aimed at hiding sharp truth of what is happening, smoothing any unwillingness-enforcement situations

Keywords

• information warfare
• euphemism
• political correctness
• manipulation