Russian Linguistic Bulletin (Jul 2023)
SOCIO-PRAGMATIC ASPECT OF MEDIA DISCOURSE ON COVID-19 VACCINATION
Abstract
This scientific article is devoted to the study of the socio-pragmatic aspect of the media discourse on vaccination against COVID-19. On the basis of English and German-speaking mass media, the authors analyzed what manipulative techniques reporters used trying to influence readers or listeners. Based on the data obtained, it was revealed when the authors managed to achieve their goals, and in which cases they did not, thanks to comments left by readers and listeners.The relevance of this article lies in the fact that nowadays the media text is one of the most famous models of the existence of the language. This is precisely the importance of studying and analyzing modern media discourse. The authors assure that this topic requires further study.The authors consider the main purpose of their research to be a discursive analysis of media texts in English and German-speaking mass media from the point of view of the socio-pragmatic aspect.The goal of the article allowed the authors to determine the objectives of the study:1) to analyze the concepts of «discourse» and «media discourse»;2) to study the media discourse in English and German-language publications;3) to analyze English and German language video materials.In the process of solving the tasks, the following main conclusions were made.There are many approaches to the interpretation of the definition of «discourse». Throughout the history of the term «discourse», scientists have given their definitions to this concept. According to the authors, one of the most important is the definition that is presented in the Linguistic Encyclopedic Dictionary. «Discourse (from the French discours – speech) is a coherent text in combination with extralinguistic, pragmatic, socio–cultural, psychological and other factors, a text taken in the event aspect».Today media linguistics is an independent scientific field with such separate components as methodology, theory, internal structure, terminological apparatus. The subject of media linguistics is the use of the language in the media, as well as media speech, its forms and manifestations.After analyzing and studying video and text sources, the authors of the article came to the conclusion that all the writers in their works tried to influence the population using manipulation techniques such as the effect of shock, contrast, repetition, «information storm» and information blockade. In order to make their headlines more attractive and riveting, they used a number of techniques. In most cases they managed to achieve the favourable result. With the help of their articles they were able to convince the population to make a choice in favor of vaccination. Consequently, the authors thanks to such a tool as a language, were able to influence human consciousness.
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