Axiology of COVID-19 as a Linguistic Phenomenon in English Mass Media Discourse

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of axiology of Covid-19 as a linguistic phenomenon on the material of The Economist Issues (March-May 2020). A comprehensive linguistic analysis of the research material was used, which includes the method of complex analysis, classification and description of the material and semantic method. The chosen method of linguistic analysis made it possible to establish that this lexeme in the mass media discourse acquires additional connotations and serves to form an informational picture of the world that reflects the national-cultural characteristics of worldview and the system of axiological relations. The processes of language development are invariably intensified in the period of social disruption. We draw a conclusion that Covid-19 pandemic can be seen as such a disruption, which made a considerable contribution to English vocabulary.