The Actualization of the Linguistic Sign Charm Offensive in Contemporary English Language Newspapers

DOI

10.2991/iscfec-19.2019.25How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Charm Offensive, Linguistic Sign, Conceptual Metaphors.

Abstract

The paper deals with investigating the peculiarities of lexico-semantic content of the linguistic sign charm offensive through its contextual actualization in modern English (British-American) media newspaper discourse (2000-2018). The author aims at revealing the conceptual mechanism of the linguistic combinability by means of conceptual metaphors analysis. Special attention is paid to the described linguistic sign as one of the manifestations of the verbalized idea of “beauty”-“ugliness” concept. The novelty of the present research paper is proved by contemporary trends in the semantic development of the given linguistic sign conditioned by its high frequency of usage by English-speaking journalists, especially in article headings that attract readers’ attention. The methodological and conceptual basis is grounded on the anthropocentric linguistic concept of the semiosphere of the inner human world developed by Yu.M. Malinovich as a multifaceted approach to the study of the biopsychosocial nature of a human being. The applied complex methods allowed to single out the certain features of the metaphorical conceptualization of the charm offensive through its linguistic combinability, to define the referential sphere of its actualization and pragmatic potential. The results make it possible to conclude that the linguistic sign charm offensive as a phraseological unit in the system of the contemporary English language is actively developing the meaning of using a personal power / attraction to get the support of others, mainly in politics, and gaining a negative connotation. Moreover, the metaphorical verbalization reveals the correlation of inner and outer evaluative criteria.

Copyright

© 2019, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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TY  - CONF
AU  - L. Toropova
PY  - 2019/05
DA  - 2019/05
TI  - The Actualization of the Linguistic Sign Charm Offensive in Contemporary English Language Newspapers
BT  - Proceedings of the International Science and Technology Conference "FarEastСon" (ISCFEC 2019)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 94
EP  - 97
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/iscfec-19.2019.25
DO  - 10.2991/iscfec-19.2019.25
ID  - Toropova2019/05
ER  -