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ENGLISH BORROWINGS IN POLITICAL DISCOURSE IN RUSSIA AND CZECH REPUBLIC: PRAGMATIC ASPECT

Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2021

Abstract

Politicians assess the subject/phenomenon and show the attitude towards it using specific linguistic means. One of the features of modern political discourse in Russia and the Czech Republic is the active use of English language vocabulary and phraseology.

In the speech of politicians, various terms are used from the economic, political and social spheres (otmyvanie deneg, nalogovaja gavan, fejk njus etc.), as well as proverbs and sayings (solve the problem when you face it), catchphrases (světlo na konci tunelu cf. light at the end of a tunnel) and other precedent phenomena (Don't worry, be happy). English vocabulary and phraseology is found in political discourse in the form of both calques and foreign language inclusions: the choice of one form or another depends on the target audience to which the politician addresses, and also indicates a special communicative strategy of the speaker.

The use of anglicisms contributes to the implementation of the speaker's manipulative targeted influence on the listener's consciousness, the achievement of political goals (shifting the focus of attention, solving problems in a certain way, forming an attitude towards the subject, etc.). Anglicisms in the speech of Russian and Czech politicians are often accompanied by various metalanguage comments that intensify the pragmatic impact of the utterance and activate the "friend/foe" opposition.