The cognitive aspect of using the aphorisms in the English political discourse

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The cognitive aspect of using the aphorisms in the English political discourse

Ryzhkova S.

Candidate of Science (Theory of Education)

Associate Professor

Department of Foreign Languages

Donbas State Teachers' Training University

Annotation

The article deals with the peculiarities of the political discourse of the English language. The author considers the political aphorism as the special unit that indicates the interests and world outlook of a certain politician. On the examples of aphorisms of famous world politicians, the author has determined the most frequently used concepts that are used in the political discourse, such concepts are: «policy», «state», «value», «administration», «power» and «economy».

Key words: aphorism, concept, lexeme, political discourse, politician.

Рижкова С.

кандидат педагогічних наук, доцент кафедри іноземних мов

Донбаського державного педагогічного університету

Когнітивний аспект вживання афоризмів в англійському політичному дискурсі

Анотація

political discourse aphorism english

У статті розглянуто особливості політичного дискурсу англійської мови. Автором розкрито значення політичного афоризму, як особливої одиниці, яка відображає інтереси та світогляд певного політичного діяча. На прикладах афоризмів відомих світових політиків автором визначено найбільш розповсюджені концепти, які вживаються в політичному дискурсі, такими концептами є: «політика», «держава», «цінність», «керівництво», «влада» та «економіка».

Ключові слова: афоризм, концепт, лексема, політичний дискурс, політичний діяч.

Рыжкова С. - кандидат педагогических наук, доцент кафедры иностранных языков Донбасского государственного педагогического университета

Когнитивный аспект употребления афоризмов в английском политическом дискурсе

Аннотация

В статье рассматриваются особенности политического дискурса английского языка. Автором раскрывается значение политического афоризма как особой единицы, которая отражает интересы и мировоззрение определенного политического деятеля. На примерах афоризмов известных мировых политиков автором определены наиболее распространенные концепты политического дискурса, такими концептами являются: «политика», «государство», «ценность», «руководство», «власть» и «экономика».

Ключевые слова: афоризм, концепт, лексема, политический дискурс, политический деятель.

Studying the sense of the political discourse we notice that aphorism reflects its existence in the unity of the two parts - the material (events and phenomena that are directly connected with the field of policy) and the abstract a-philosophical one that indicates the reality of human's existence. On the one hand, the political aphorisms like the aphorisms of another groups, characterize common important cultural concepts; form the positive attitude to the world's spiritual values, on the other - hand the political aphorisms reflect the peculiarity of the perception of reality of the political discourse.

The problem of the article

The analysis of the vocabulary of political aphorisms allows us to make conclusions about the features of the world outlook of the participants of the political discourse and also about their system of values and ways of its realization. So, the problem of the article lies in the considering of the interconnection between the aphorisms that are used by politicians and their world outlook or the syatem of values.

The aim of the article is to disclose the meaning, principals of the use of the political aphorism as the element of the political discourse.

The subject of the article is the political discourse as the important part of lexicology.

The object of the article is a political aphorism as an important element of the political discourse.

The reference of the article lies in the importance of the political discourse in common. People always tried to find the ways to influence and manipulate the great quantity of people, so political aphorisms are the result of such a process of searching and this question has been studied by many scientists, lexicologists, politicians etc.

The analysis of research works

A lot of native and foreign scientists have investigated the aspects of the political discourse. The theories of the political discourse have been studied by following scientists: Y. Sheigal, B. Parshin, T. van Dake, A. Chudinov, S. Vinogradova.

The theories of the speech influence and the principals of the linguistic pragmatics have been studied by I. Susov, O. Issers, M. Makarova and others.

Main material

The perception of the world of policy is realized in the system of concepts in the consciousness of the participants of the political discourse. «The central concepts that form the basis of social institutions have the great generative power because they concentrate the great sensual field. The special vocabulary should be compiled in order to describe this sensual field» [1, p. 6].

According to the vocabulary of cognitive terms the statement of the concept corresponds to the representation of those meaning which is operated by a man during the process of thinking and also which reflect the content of experience and knowledge, the content of the results of the whole human's activity and of the processes of the world cognition in the form of certain "quantum" of knowledge. Concepts reduce the diversity of the observed and imaginary phenomena to the only unit bringing them under the one subject. They help the man to keep the knowledge about the world. They are also used as «the building blocks» of the conceptual system promoting the process of the experience handling by summing of the information under certain developed categories and classes». The statement «concept» means the totality of words and phrases that create the thematic cycle and it is closely connected with the statement «semantic field». [3, p. 430].

It should be pointed that that in the minds of native speakers the reality is divided into two interrelated associated sides: material (real) world and the world of abstract concepts and phenomena. It is very important components for many categories of people and especially for politicians who try to comprehend and define the reality in its diverse relations with a man.

Each category in the lexical composition of aphorisms is presented in a special lexical and grammatical set. In particular, a considerable amount of lexical units presents the property category of «policy» and categories which include the lexical units denoting such concepts as «state», «nation», «ideology», «law», «society», «power», «right», «economy», «democracy», «health», «election», «crime», «corruption», «war» etc.

The concept of «policy» is regarded in the political aphorism system in several aspects: a) the activities of state administration reflecting the social order; b) the direction of state activities (native and foreign policy); c) the kind of action, strategy:

«Politics depends on our ability to persuade each other of common aims based on common reality» [6, p. 140].

«The first rule of politics: there are no rules. You make your own luck»[8].

Foreign policy in aphorism system is pointed as

a non-intervention in internal affairs other countries:

«In the end, no amount of American forces can solve the political differences that lie in the heart of somebody else's civil war» [6, p. 133].

the relations with another countries: «When our neighbors suffer, all of the Americas suffer» [6, p. 121].

the development of the country comparing with others: «It's time for the United States to reclaim and renew its historic role as a leader in the hemisphere, and the example of hope for all who seek opportunity in the Americas» (B. Obama);

the process of realizing of foreign policy:

«Diplomacy is measured by patience and effort» [6, p. 73].

the interwork among the countries:

«Interdependence is an accepted fact. It is giving rise to a great yearning for a sense of global purpose, underpinned by global values, to overcome challenges, global in nature» [7].

globality:

«Globalisation is good, but it will only work to create a world of peace and plenty if the world also acts decisively to give its values a set of convictions and beliefs, as well as accepting what it brings by its own force»[9].

The domestic policy is considered in the aphorism system in several ways:

the development of the country, the improvement of the quality of life;

the direction on future, the achieving of purposes;

cooperation, assistance, public relations;

the indication of the reality in the country, for example:

«If we stand together, we rise together [6, p. 121].

«The danger for us today is not reversion to the politics of the 1980s. It is retreat to the sideliners» [7].

It should be pointed that the lexeme «domestic policy» serves as a unifying unit. Its seme set enter as an integral one into the meanings of a number of words that refer to political aphorisms: economy, elections, party, corruption, crime, democracy.

The concept of «economy» in the political aphorism system is presented by such aspects:

economy as a concept;

economy as activity;

corruption;

domestic economy;

Economic development

stability.

Specificity of political aphorism system indicates the lexemes that form the semantic t field «power». Power is understood in political science as a special kind of influence, and as the ability to achieve certain goals, and as the possibility of using those or other devices, and as a special relationships between the administration and inferior. [5, p. 98].

Y.I. Sheigal devides the political aphorisms into two groups:

aphorisms that include the essence of power, its philosophical and psychological aspects;

aphorisms of the strategic type that include the strategic principals of the struggle for power [5, p. 106].

Aphorisms of the first group are considered as the as aspire to power as an integral direct feature of human nature and also they reveal deep psychological motivation of thirst to power authorities; emphasize the negative moral and ethic consequences of staying in power. Strategic aphorisms declare the principle of distribution of power; actualize the statement of power at the forefront of revolutionary strategy; postulate the government support to the force of weapons; emphasize the incompatibility of absolute power and freedom.

Different groups of the political aphorisms are presented in the following examples:

Political domination: «Sometimes the only way you conquer the pull of power is to set it down» [7].

The bodies of administration, government «In an opportunity society, as opposed to the old welfare state, government does not dictate; it empowers» (T. Blair);

Rights and abilities:

«Power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few» [9].

The lexeme «elections» also relates to the semantic field and presented political aphorisms of words such as campaign, campaigning, voter, party, guarantees, promises:

«The core vote of this party today is not the heartlands, the inner city, not any sectional interest or lobby. Our core vote is the country» [9].

The authors of the political aphorisms think over not only the kind of the administration, but also over the politician's way of coming to power. Therefore, the content of aphorisms includes the lexemes that name the factors of forming of a personality that is able to be an effective administrator, as in the following example:

«And there are the easy bits and hard bits of leadership. There is no doubt which is preferable. But true leadership means doing both» [9].

Analyzing the lexemes with a more concrete content we make a conclusion that special attention is given to the features of character of a tutor that is a member of a ruling party or of a politician that have the ruling positions in a country. Lexical content of such aphorisms include the lexemes denoting:

Moral essence: gratitude, audacity, integrity, honesty, responsibility, as in the following example:

«Power without responsibility being the prerogative of the harlot through the ages»

The ability of a tutor to fulfill promises and to achieve the aims, for example:

«Promise made is a promise kept» [6, p. 80].

The nation is represented in the political aphorism both as an ethnic community of people and as synonym for basic word-concept of state:

America is great because Americans are good [6, p. 7].

Conclusions

We come to a conclusion that aphorisms help us to determine what concepts attract the attention of different politicians as the authors of aphorisms. The analysis has shown us that the most used concepts of aphorisms are such concepts as: «policy», state, value, administration, power and economy. Aphorisms are the result of great cultural experience of any nation. The intensity of using of certain concepts indicates the features of the world outlook of certain politicians. The deeper investigation of other aspects of the political discourse may be perspective for further investigations.

References

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2. Кубрякова Е.С. Краткий словарь когнитивных терминов. Москва, 1996. 245 с.

3. Розенталь Д.Э. Словарь-справочник лингвистических терминов. Москва: АСТ, Астрель, 2001.624 с.

4. Чесноков П.В. Основные единицы языка и мышления. Москва,1966. 287 с.

5. Шейгал Е.И. Семиотика политического дискурса: дисс. д-ра филол. наук: 10.02.01,10.02.19. Волгоград, 2000. 434 с.

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7. Glaberson W.U.S. May Permit 9/11 Guilty Pleas in Capital Cases. The New York Times. 2009. № 3.

8. Hope C. Britain could intervene militarily in Syria in months, UK's top general suggests. The telegraph. 2012. № 6.

9. Hope C. The forgotten war. The telegraph. 2012. № 8.

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