The Impact of Transmedia Processes on the Linguistic Personality of the Web Communicant

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of distortion of meanings when covering an event in transmedia in the aspect of its impact on the linguistic personality of a web communicant. A detailed review of domestic and foreign scientific literature enables the authors to conclude that the formation of transmedia as a specific means of reproducing the information picture of an event is accompanied by genre transformations and convergence of media formats. The article proves that as a component of the transmedia structure, which is formed by means of artificial intelligence and digitalization, network media are changing their style of event coverage, and the use of clickbait is becoming more frequent in the headlines of publications. It increases the incongruence between the content and the title. As a result, a linguistic virtual personality, experiencing uncertainty about the reliability of media reports, demonstrates a tendency towards linguistic simplification, entertainment, speech negativity and provocation. It shows the need for strong emotional, expressive, evaluative language tools that enhance the effect of sensationalism. Systematization of quantitative and qualitative indicators has made it possible to specify the signs of destructive disorders and trace the mechanisms of influence of transmedia processes on the virtual linguistic personality. As a result, the authors identify similarities and differences between the communicative expectations of information recipients and the linguistic means of media texts as part of transmedia, revealing their destructive impact on the network audience.