Verbal representation of the concept COVID-19 in the modern German mass media

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Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University

Verbal representation of the concept COVID-19 in the modern German mass media

Semeniuk T.P.

Gordiienko Yu.А.

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of verbal representation of the COVID-19 concept in German media communication. The changes taking place in society are reflected in language, enriching it with new lexical units, most of which exist in the minds of individuals in the form of concepts. The lexical unit COVID-19 is a concept, information block, the content of which is forming in the collective and individual consciousness, reflecting knowledge about diseases of planetary scale, its consequences, methods of protection and control. Different semiotic resources (verbal, nonverbal and para verbal) can represent the analysed concept. Verbalization of the CO VID-19 concept has been investigated with the lexical-semantic analysis of the lexeme-representative in the dictionaries of neologisms, in particular, OWID.de (Neuer Wortschatz rund um die Coronapandemie) and DWDS-Themenglossar Another way of studying of the CO VID-19 concept is searching for synonyms in the media, derivatives and compound words containing the lexeme COVID or CORONAVIRUS, as well as analyzing the corpus of neologisms that emerged during the coronavirus pandemic. The nominative field of the CO VID-19 concept incorporates nuclear, nuclear and peripheral zones. The verbalizers of COVID-19 concept have been found in this article, the most frequent units-nominators of the analysed concept have been determined. Analysis of the nominative field of the COVID-19 concept helped to determine its main cognitive and semantic features, which include the following - a) disease, infectious disease, b) time period - 2019 and so far, c) catastrophic situation, high mortality, d) quarantine, isolation, consequences of quarantine, e) disease prevention, immunization.

Key words: concept, COVID-19, nominative field, core zone, pre-core zone and periphery of nominative field.

Семенюк Т.П., Гордієнко Ю.А.

Вербальна репрезентація концепту COVID-19 у сучасних німецькомовних медіа

Анотація

language media communication

Стаття присвячена дослідженню вербальної репрезентації концепту COVID-19 у німецькомовній медіа-комунікації. Зміни, які відбуваються у суспільстві, відображаються у мові, збагачуючи її новими лексичними одиницями, більшість з яких існує у свідомості індивідів у вигляді концептів. Лексична одиниця COVID-19 є концептом, інформаційним блоком, зміст якого формується у колективній та індивідуальній свідомості, відображаючи знання про захворювання планетарного масштабу, його наслідки, способи захисту та боротьби. Аналізований концепт може бути репрезентованими різнокодовими семіотичними ресурсами - вербальними, невербальними та паравербальними. Вербалізацію (вербальну репрезентацію) концепту COVID-19досліджено шляхомлексико-семантичного аналізу лексеми-репрезентанта у словниках-неологізмів, зокрема, OWID.de (Neuer Wortschatz rund um die Coronapandemie), br.de (Das Worterbuch zur Corona-Pandemie), dwds.de (DWDS-Themenglossar zur COVID-19-Pandemie), пошуку синонімів у засобах масової інформації, дериватів та складних слів, що містять лексему COVID чи CORONAVIRUS, а також завдяки аналізу корпусу неологізмів, які виникли за роки пандемії коронавірусу. Сформовано номінативне поле концепту COVID-19, яке інкорпорує ядерну, приядерну та периферійну зони, визначено найчастотніші одиниці-номінатори аналізованого концепту. Аналіз номінативного поля концепту COVID-19 допоміг визначити його основні когнітивно-семантичні ознаки, до яких можна віднести такі - а) хвороба, інфекційне захворювання, б) часовий період - 2019 рік і дотепер, в) катастрофічна ситуація, висока смертність, г) карантин, ізоляція, наслідки карантину, д) профілактика хвороби, імунізація.

Ключові слова: концепт, COVID-19, номінативне поле, ядерна, приядерна та периферійна зона концептополя

Introduction formulation of the problem

Over the past year, the coronavirus pandemic has not only changed the lives of millions, but has also been the subject of medical, social, and linguistic research. Language is an open system that responds to transformations in various social spheres. Therefore, it is not surprising that the COVID-19 pandemic has made its adjustments in the development of languages, the lexical structure of which is enriched with new lexical units and phrases. New quanta of knowledge and information cognitive units of consciousness, associated with the coronavirus pandemic in the world, have formed in the minds of individuals.

An analysis of the latest research

Specialists in various fields are trying to study the newly formed phenomenon of COVID-19 in various aspects. Scientists are trying to identify the COVID-neologisms, which have arisen as result of the planetary spread of coronavirus. They want to clarify the features of the formation and representation of COVID-19 concept in the context of the study of new English and German culture, which is being formed during the pandemic (O. Lysychkina, L. Pasyk, L. Rys). Many scientists are trying to investigate the actualization of the concept of CORONAVIRUS (K. Krasnytska, N. Stepaniuk, N. Dolusova). We would like to note that the topic of the representation of the Covid-19 is insufficiently investigated in German-language discourse, which served as an impetus for the selection of German media texts and dictionaries of neologisms that highlight the subject of coronavirus.

The aim of the article is to trace the verbal representation of the COVID-19 concept in modern German-language media discourse, highlighting the language units that verbalize the studied concept, and selecting by continuous sampling the current neologisms that reflect the state of modern society in the era of the coronavirus pandemic.

The study is based on articles selected by a continuous sampling from German-language online magazinesandnewspapers (Spiegel, ZeitOnline, Frankfurter Allgemeine, Frankfurter Rundschau, Bild), sites that cover the topic of coronavirus. Dictionaries of neologisms were used to form the peripheral zone of the nominative field of the COVID-19 concept, in particular, OWID.de (Neuer Wortschatz rund um die Coronapandemie), br.de (Das Worterbuch zur Corona- Pandemie), dwds. de (DWDS-Themenglossar zur COVID-19-Pandemie). The following methods are used to study the concept of COVID-19 and form its nominative field: the method of dictionary definitions, interpretive analysis, contextual and semantic- conceptual analysis.

Presenting main material and research results

There is no doubt that the lexeme COVID-19 is a concept. O. Kubriakova defines the concept as a term that serves to explain the units of mental resources of our consciousness and the information structure that reflects the knowledge and experience of people; operative semantic unit of memory, mental lexicon, conceptual system and language of the brain (lingua mentalis), the whole picture of the world reflected in the human psyche. The concept of the whole picture of the world corresponds to the idea of the meanings that man operates in thought processes and which reflect the content of experience and knowledge, the content of all human activities and processes of cognition in the form of some “quanta” of knowledge [3, p. 90]. In addition, V. Karasyk characterizes the concepts as “mental formations that store significant typical fragments of experience in the memory of a person” [1, p. 56]. In the minds of each individual, there are associations, experiences, emotions in the form of experience and quanta of knowledge about the phenomenon under study, because the pandemic affected the whole world, every country, almost every family or individual. By examining the verbalization of the COVID-19 concept, we will learn what the concept of COVID-19 in the vision of the German language community is, and how it is actualized in the texts of the modern mass media.

The concept is a dynamic structural and semantic formation, which is characterized by a complex structure. The semantic meaning of the concept is much broader than its lexical one, V. Karasyk notes that the concept consists of three components: conceptual, figurative and value [1, p. 71]. Z. Popova and J. Sternin believe that the concept can be described through the analysis of the means of its linguistic objectification (verbalization, representation), which together form the nominative field of the concept. The nominative field of the concept, according to scientists, is fundamentally heterogeneous: it contains both direct nominations of the concept, forming the core of the nominative field, and nominations of individual cognitive features of the concept, revealing the meaning of the concept and its relationship in different communicative situations, forming the periphery of the nominative field [5, p. 66-67]. Z. Popova and J. Sternin distinguish the following linguistic means of verbalization of the concept: direct nominations of the concept; derivative concepts nominations (figurative, derivative); units of different parts of speech, derivatively related to the basic lexical means of verbalization of the concept; contextual synonyms; occasional individual-author nominations; stable word combinations, synonymous with the keyword; phrases that include the name of the concept; metaphorical nominations; stable comparisons with the keyword; free phrases that nominate certain features that characterize the concept; associative field, etc. [5, p. 69-71].

Thus, the set of means of linguistic objectification of the concept is its nominative field, in which we distinguish core zone, pre-core zone and peripheral zone of concept field. The core zone of the nominative field includes a direct lexeme-verbalizer of the concept and its contextual synonyms. To the pre-core zone, we include lexical units that verbalize the conceptual features of the concept, words that are close in meaning to the meaning of the concept, their synonyms; the peripheral zone includes associations, connotations and metaphorical nominations that appeal to the analyzed concept.

So, let us look at the concept of COVID-19 and its verbalization in modern German-language media. The analysis of the concept should begin with the identification of its direct nominations and synonyms that will form the core of the nominative field. The lexeme COVID-19 is a key representative of the studied concept. COVID-19 is an abbreviation for coronavirus disease, which broke out in 2019 (English - coronavirus disease 2019, Deutsch - Coronavirus-Krankheit-2019). Less common is the official name of the virus Sars-CoV-2 (Schweres Akutes Respiratorisches Syndrom-Corona-Virus-2).

In the dictionary Duden, Coronavirus is defined as “Virustyp, der Wirbeltiere infiziertundbeimMenschen Erkdltungskrankheiten auslost” []. In the electronic dictionary of neologisms “Neologismenworterbuch. Neuer Wortschatz rund um die Coronapandemie” on the experimental platform OWID.de coronavirus is defined as: 1) das Virus SARS-CoV-2, 2) die durch das Virus SARS-CoV-2 verursachte Infektionskrank- heit COVID-19, 3) die COVID-19-Pandemie und die dadurch ausgeloste Krise [].

One of the synonymic equivalents of the lexemes Coronavirus, Covid-19, Sars-CoV-2, Covid is the metonymic lexeme Corona - entsprechend der Bedeutung von Coronavirus, durch das Coronavirus hervorgerufene epidemische Infektionskrankheit, durch das Virus verursachte Pandemie, damit verbundene Krise, Mafinahmen des Seuchenschutzes o. A. [8]. The lexical item CORONAVIRUS is a complex lexeme consisting of the lexemes “Corona” and “Virus”. Lexicographic resources interpret the lexeme Corona as one that comes from Latin and means „die Krone“ oder „der Kranz“ - (als Zeichen der Macht und Wurde eines Herrschers bzw. einer Herrscherin) auf dem Kopf getragener breiter, oft mit Edelsteinen verzierter goldener Reif mit Zacken, sich kreuzenden Bugeln o. A. [8].

In the German-language media, the derivative lexemes Coronchen and Coroni denote COVID-19, they reduce the severity of the disease due to the diminutive suffix. Thus, in addition to the lexemenominator itself, the following synonymous units can be attributed to the nuclear part or core zone of the nominative field of the COVID-19 concept: Coronavirus, Sars-Cov-2, Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2, Covid-19, Covid, Corona, Coronchen, Coroni, Coronainfektion, Covid-Fall, Alpha-Variante, Delta-Variante. Here you can see some examples:

Im Dezember 2019 tauchte in China erstmals ein neuartiges Coronavirus auf Sars-CoV-2. Es verursacht die Lungenkrankheit Covid-19 [13];

Das Coronavirus bedroht Menschenleben un d die hypervernetzte Wirtschaft [12];

Dritte Impfung gegen Corona: Ohne den Boos ter fur alle geht es nicht [10];

The lexeme CORONAVIRUS in our collection of articles appeared to be the most frequent, followed by the lexeme - COVID-19, and CORONA in third place.

The abbreviation COVID-19 has a large number of derivatives that denote social phenomena, one way or another caused by the coronavirus, and they are essentially new realities of life during the corona crisis. Derivatives differ in word formation; the derivatives formed by suffix and prefix methods have the greatest degree of connection with the basic token COVID or CORONAVIRUS. The nuclear zone of the nominative field can include lexical units formed with suf- fixal and prefixal ways.

The suffixal way of word formation is carried out with the help suffixies -er, -ern, -isch, - iern: Coronaer, coronern, coroniern, coronisch. The prefixal way of word formation is carried out with the help of prefixes anti-, pra- та post: Anticoronademonstrant, Anticoronademonstration, Anticoronakampf,

Anticoronamafinahme, Prd-Corona-Zeit, PostCorona-Welt, Post-Corona-Zeit, postcoronaisch, postcoronal, postlockidal.

The core zone of the nominative field of the COVID-19 concept includes composites - complex words with two or more bases formed by word formation: Coronaabstand, Coronaalltag, Coronaangst, Coronabekdmpfung, Coronadepression, Coronagrufi, Coronaimpfausweis, Coronaimpfpass, Coronaimpfpflicht, Coronaimpfrechner, Coronahysterie, Coronaregime, Coronaisolation, coronamude, Coronaparty, Coronapatient, Coronaschutz, Coronaschutzmafinahme, Coronawelle, Corona-zwangsmafinahme, Coronazwangspause, Covid-19- Alltag, Covid-19-Ausweis, Covid-19-Infizierter, Covid-19-Pass, Covid-19-Toter, Covid-19-Welle usw.

Word combining is the most productive means of word formation, we want to pay attention to the neologisms that are part of the nominative field of the studied concept, but are not immediately clear, which needs further clarification. In the dictionary of neologisms, we find the following neologisms: Coronaidiot ist sich wdhrend der COVID-19-Pandemie unangemessen verhaltende Person. Covidbaby ist wdhrend der Ausgangs- und Kontaktbeschrdnkungen in der COVID-19-Pandemie (in Heimquarantdne) gezeugtes Kind. Coronakater ist durch die gesellschaftlichen und wirtschaftlichen Einschrdnkungen wdhrend der COVID-19-Pandemie bedingte schlechte (personliche oder wirtschaftliche) Stimmung. Coronakilo ist durch Bewegungsmangel, Langeweile, Stress usw. wdhrendder COVID-19-Pandemie zugenommenes Korpergewicht. Coronafrisur ist durch die Schliefiung der Friseurgeschdfte wdhrend der COVID-19-Pandemie herausgewachsener bzw. durch unprofessionelles Schneiden verunstalteter Haarschnitt [9,11].

During the coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of new words emerged in German that reflected the state of society, its realities, fears, hopes and aspirations for a better future. The newly formed tokens have already become so useful that it is difficult to imagine one's life without them. Since the vocabulary of the coronavirus pandemic is the result of adaptation to living conditions, serves as a means of communication on one of the leading topics of our time, it undoubtedly occupies the peripheral part of the nominative field concept COVID-19. Clear rules, prohibitions, protection, disinfection, quarantine restrictions - all this contributed to the emergence of new lexical items.

Thus, the verbalizers of the rules of wearing masks in public places are the following lexemes: Maske, Mund-Nasen-Schutz, Maulkorb und Maultdschle, Mask-have, Maskenakne, Maskendisziplin, maskenfrei, Maskengebot, Maskengegner, Maskenkultur, Maskenmode, Maskenmoral, Maskenmudigkeit, Maskenmuffel, Maskenpflicht, Maskenpickel, Maskenregel, Maskenskepsis, Maskenverwei- gerer, Maskomat. Keeping the distance is represented in German by the following units: Abstandsgebot, Abstandsgesellschaft, Abstandshalter, Abstandslinie, Abstandsmarkierung, Abstandsmafinahme, Distanz- gebot, Distanzlinie, Distanzregel, Distanzregelung, Distanzschlange, Distanzvorgabe, Distanzvorschrift, Distanzunterricht. Quarantine restrictions, the transition to online communication led to the appearance of the following words: digitales Schulzeitalter, digitales Semester, Digitalkonzert, Drive-in-Service, Drive-in-Weihnachtsmarkt, Balkonkonzert, Hockdown, Holistay, Home-Work-out, Homeclubbing, Online-Fruhstuck, overzoomed, zoomen, Zoomfatigue.

Analysis of the nominative field of the COVID-19 concept demonstrated its main cognitive-semantic features, which include the following: a) disease, infectious disease; b) period of time 2019 and until today; c) catastrophic situation, high mortality; d) quarantine, isolation, consequences of quarantine; е) disease prevention, and immunization.

In addition, it is worth paying attention to the identification of figurative representations associated with the coronavirus, which are often verbalized in metaphorical expressions. In the analyzed media articles metaphors representing COVID-19 were revealed: a) the rival, the enemy (Gegner, unsichtbarer Gegner, unbekannter Feind: „flier kampft die Bundeswehr gegen den unsichtbaren Feind“ (bild.de., 06.04.2020)); b) a deadly danger that strikes the world: „„Die Welt ist krank - ein Uberblick in Grafiken“ (zdf. de, 7.04.2020), c) king of dragons: “... die Pandemie ein Drachenkonig sei ...” (fr.de, 18.11.2021), while the situation with the coronavirus itself is often depicted as d) the Cold War: “Kalter Krieg: um die Zulassung der Impfstoffe” (kurier.at, 18.11.2021), e) fire: „Wie ein Brand verlauft die Seuche in Phasen, mal flammt sie auf, mal lodert sie nur noch, mal taucht sie, schon besiegt geglaubt, in kleinen Glutnestern wieder auf“ (Spiegel, 15.08.2020).

Conclusions

Analysis of the concept of COVID-19 helped to form its nominative field, to determine the means of verbalization of the studied phenomenon of today. As you can see, COVID-19 has both direct nominations Coronavirus, Sars-Cov-2, Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2, Covid-19, Covid, Corona, Coronchen, Coroni, coronaisch, coronisch, coronieren, Coronainfektion, CovidFall, Coronaabstand, Coronaalltag, Coronaangst, Coronabekampfung, Coronadepression, Coronagrufi, Coronaimpfausweis, Coronaimpfpass, Coronaimpfpflicht, Coronaimpfrechner, Coronahysterie, Coronaregime, Coronaisolation, coronamude, Coronaparty, Coronapatient, Coronaschutz, Coronaschutzmafinahme, Coronawelle, Coronazwangsmafinahme, Coronazwangspause, Covid-19- Alltag, Covid-19-Ausweis, Covid-19-Infizierter, Covid-19-Pass, Covid-19-Toter, etc. and metaphoric - Feind, Gegner, kalter Krieg, Brand, Drachenkonig, etc.

Hundreds of complex lexical units to denote COVID-19 testify to the relevance of this concept. We see prospects for further research in the study of nonverbal and para verbal means of actualizing the concept of COVID-19 in German media discourse.

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