Functional and Pragmatic Role of Euphemisms and Dysphemisms in English Political Discourse and the Media

Abstract

This article examines the definition of euphemisms, areas of use, positive and negative aspects, styles of use and the relationship between euphemisms and dysphemisms, their role in modern English-language political and journalistic texts. The functioning of euphemistic and dysphemistic units in political and journalistic discourses is also highlighted, all the reasons for their occurrence in various communicative situations are analyzed. We tried to present the main functions and role of euphemisms and dysphemisms in political discourse and mass media. In the language of politicians and modern mass media, the phenomenon of euphemism and dysphemia is one of the bright indicators of social transformations. Researchers of these phenomena speak of a tendency to avoid direct nomination of objects and abstract things, due to the reluctance to offend others. In order not to hurt someone's feelings, people often try to mitigate the potentially negative impact of statements by using more acceptable alternatives. This means that whenever we are faced with a sensitive topic, we choose words that minimize the offensive or harsh effect on listeners. A decisive role for distinguishing between euphemisms and dysphemisms is played by the broad context of the utterance, which includes the extralinguistic situation, as well as the immediate linguistic environment of the lexeme. Euphemism and dysphemia reflect social, cultural, moral values, and even peculiarities of worldview and thinking not only in the speech of individual personalities, but also in the language portrait of modern society in general. Euphemisms and dysphemisms completely depend on the assessments of certain phenomena accepted in society, on the definition of what is permissible and what is not. Hence the need for their systematic study in connection with cultural and social changes.