Media linguistics

Media linguistics is the linguistic study of media speech. It studies the functioning of language in the media sphere, or the modern mass communication presented by print, audiovisual and networked media.

Media linguistics is being formed in the process of differentiation of linguistics as a general theory of language, and its term turned out to be in line with psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, developmental linguistics, legal linguistics, political linguistics, etc.

The object of media linguistics

Modern media linguistics examines not only the language of media, but also media speech. Media linguistics includes such discipline as media speech studies that examines (1) the speech behavior of mass communication participants and (2) specific areas, textures and genres of media texts.

Thus, in principle, media linguistics seeks to explain the particular case of the functioning of language — in mass communications with its complex structure and diverse trends of change — amid the overall trends of language and speech culture. Media linguistics is closely related to the contemporary media practices and intends to impact on them, in particular, by means of media education.

Media linguistics in various countries

• In English-speaking countries the terms media study and media discourse analysis are used, corresponding with such interdisciplinary approach as Critical discourse analysis. See, for example, Teun A. van Dijk's book "News as Discourse".^[1]
• In Germany such term as Medienlinguistik is typical.^[2]
• In Russia active usage of the term Медиалингвистика is associated with the publications of T.G. Dobrosklonskaya, where English media speech is investigated. Russian media linguistics is the successor of different linguistic researches, which were designated and called as «The language of newspaper», «The language of Radio», «The language of media.»^[3]

See also

• Media stylistics
• Media studies
• Internet linguistics

References