FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL LINGUISTICS IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL SOCIAL TRANSFORMATIONS

Abstract

Summary. This study provides a theoretical overview of the key stages in the development of political linguistics, each characterized by the emergence of different approaches to political communication research, relevant for the time and historical context. It is established that the origins of political linguistics trace back to ancient rhetoric. Over time, with the advent of new communication tools, the focus of research shifted from studying the rhetorical skills of political speakers to examining political communication. Political communication is an interactive process that involves the transmission of information between politicians, the media, and the public. It occurs vertically from governmental institutions to citizens, horizontally among political actors, and upward from public opinion to authorities. World War I stimulated the study of political communication within the socio-political context, while World War II further emphasized the importance of such research. Taking into account the theoretical premises of social psychology, scholars studied the mechanisms of manipulation of public consciousness employed in propaganda and political agitation. During this period, the two-step flow model of communication by P. Lazarsfeld, content analysis methods, and the five-component communication model by H. Lasswell emerged. The analysis of lexical and punctuation language tools used in totalitarian discourse demonstrated how language can function as an instrument for distorting reality. Research on political communication was reinforced by theoretical assumptions made in the field of mass communication, specifically regarding the language of «effects» and «influences». During this period, agenda-setting theory, framing, and priming gained popularity, reflecting the idea that the media have the potential to influence audience attitudes. However, this effect significantly depends on pre-existing biases that shape the processing of media messages. The application of digital media technologies and the growing popularity of social networks marked a new stage in the development of political linguistics, which continues to this day.