METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH OF E.F. TARASOV TO THE CONSIDERATION OF THE LINGUISTIC PERSONALITY OF A BLOGGER IN THE DYNAMICS OF THE NETWORK MEDIA SPACE

Ryabova M.E.¹, Zubkova Ya.V.²

Ryabova M.E.

Moscow City Pedagogical University
e-mail: ryabovame@mail.ru

Zubkova Ya.V.

Moscow City Pedagogical University
e-mail: yanazubkova@yandex.ru

Introduction

In the increasingly complex processes of the information society, communication taking place in the media space occupies a special place. The uniqueness of digital communications lies not only in the absence of a specific location and real-time mode, but also in the convergence of media in the online space. The blogosphere has become a crucial part of the media reality, its popularity due to its sociocultural significance and relevance to both individual and collective subjects [7]. Blogs possess a set of parameters that allow them to be considered a form of communication in the digital media space, attracting subjects with the rapid acquisition of information, as well as their subjective nature. The development of the blogosphere within the dynamics of the media space ensures the articulation of the experience of each individual involved in blog communication, creating a cultural matrix that has a profound impact on the individual as a whole, including the development of specific means of speech activity in the blogosphere and changes in the personal characteristics of bloggers. The reflection of a blogger's linguistic identity, their worldview, materialized in thought, which, thanks to a new round of social evolution, is realized through digital means of expression and, due to the scale of dissemination, requires special study. The aim of this study is to understand key aspects of a blogger's linguistic identity through the prism of their speech activity, which varies in the dynamics of the online media space.

 

Research methodology

Scientific theories describe cultural changes conditioned by mechanisms of social behavior, the differences between which, although explained by conflicting arguments, are recognized as the primary instrument of language. Given the fact that a convincing and comprehensive theory has not yet been created, we will focus solely on the realities of modern understandings of speech activity, refracting them through the prism of blog communication. In this regard, we would like to highlight the theory of verbal communication by E.F. Tarasov [9] and the authors of a number of works [4; 6; 12], whose ideas will be fundamental to this study, as their focus is on the relationship between the thought and speech of the subject of communicative activity.

The initial methodological premises are, firstly, the position that «when analyzing speech communication, it is necessary in each specific case to find the activity in the structure of which the analyzed communication unfolds» [9, p. 32].

Secondly, the assertion that speech activity is considered a transformed form of images of consciousness [ibid.]. Projecting the expressed idea in relation to the stated problematic, we arrive at the following. If we consider speech activity in the blogosphere as a transformed form of activity, then we recognize its independent ontological status. This reasoning leads us to the distinction between objective reality (the world of objects) and the activity of the subject (the world of consciousness). E.F. Tarasov pointed out the complexity of speech activity, the multifaceted nature of which is appropriate to analyze using a triangulation approach [10, p. 363]. The effectiveness of triangulation is associated with the ability to apply different methods of data presentation in order to obtain the most complete knowledge of the phenomenon under study.

In addition, the methodological basis of the study should include M.M. Bakhtin’s method of polyphony, thanks to which the content of a speech utterance is comprehended from the position of all potential subjects of communication [1].

The study also focuses on methods of interpretation and generalization, which make it possible to identify patterns in the interaction of thought, language, and the real worldview of bloggers; the sociocultural approach (A.S. Akhiezer), which facilitates understanding of trends in the changes in the semantic meanings of the blogger's linguistic personality.

 

Key concepts

A significant number of works, both general methodological and narrowly conceptual (2, 3, 10, 12, etc.), are devoted to the categories of "linguistic personality," "linguistic consciousness," and related concepts. However, various aspects of each of these terms are being updated in accordance with the spirit of the times and require clarification. It is impossible not to notice that the key word in these terms is language, which, according to E.F. Tarasov, is associated with images of consciousness formed and externalized by associative fields [11, p. 24]. The bearer of linguistic consciousness is the linguistic personality, understood, following Yu.N. Karaulov, as "a set of human abilities and characteristics that determine the creation of speech works" [5, p. 3]. The study of linguistic personality inevitably involves scientists in interdisciplinary knowledge. It's important to emphasize that linguists, conducting research into linguistic personality based on the vocabulary used by a person, have identified two levels of influence on consciousness: psychological and social [8]. The literature notes that a foreign culture is integrated at the psychological level into the individual's system of ideas about the world and oneself, thereby distorting the recipient's understanding of the world [ibid.]. As for the social level, it affects the national mentality, causing deformations and eroding a person's moral principles.

Linguistic awareness can be defined as the awareness and use of linguistic means to achieve specific communication goals. The following components can be considered the main linguistic means.

1. Lexical choice. Bloggers often use specific vocabulary, which can vary depending on the blog's topic (fashion, travel, technology, etc.). Their word choice can reflect their personal style and appeal to their target audience.
2. Syntactic structures: Sentence structure also plays an important role. Simple and short sentences can make a text more accessible, while complex structures can convey the impression of depth and professionalism.
3. Communication style. Bloggers can choose between formal and informal styles, depending on the context and audience. Informal writing is often used to build intimacy and trust between the author and readers.
4. Emotional coloring. Using emotions in language helps establish a connection with the audience. Bloggers often use emojis, exclamation marks, and other means to convey their feelings and experiences.

From the standpoint of sociocultural linguistics, the listed linguistic means are arranged into a polyphonic scheme of oppositions «friend or foe,» representing a multidimensional formation, the specificity of which is uniquely expressed in the digital space of the blog.

 

The specifics of the blogger's virtual linguistic personality

The blogosphere's media space represents a subjectivized speech activity, the specifics of which are structured by ambiguous characteristics arising from the development of multimedia and its capabilities. In particular, parameters such as anonymity, conventionality, and hypertextuality allow individuals' consciousness to move to a qualitatively new level of abstraction, interacting with virtual personalities they create themselves. Today, anyone can act as a blogger and shape the content of a linguistic personality immersed in the virtual reality of a blog. A number of fundamental factors can be identified that significantly influence a blogger's speech activity.

Bloggers express their subjective views, personal experiences, and attitudes toward a particular issue and identity through language. This may include the use of dialects, jargon, or specific terms that emphasize their uniqueness. By communicating in the artificial world created by digital technologies, the linguistic personality attempts to position themselves, often deliberately distorting the actual state of affairs, for example, by altering their gender, priorities, and social status. Based on this, one can speak of the alienation of the real self in the blogosphere.

An important aspect is demonstrating an understanding of their audience and their preferences. Bloggers adapt their language and style depending on their audience: young people, professionals, or the general public. This behavior is motivated by the goals they pursue. In speech, the virtual personality has the ability to control impressions of itself, manipulating the recipient's perception, which influences personal identity and, in effect, shapes a new personality type.

A blogger's linguistic awareness is also influenced by current trends and cultural changes. Using popular phrases, memes, and slang helps them stay relevant and attract attention.

The technical capabilities of today's reality allow for the use of a variety of platforms and formats (Telegram, YouTube, TikTok), each with its own characteristics and linguistic requirements. Bloggers adapt their linguistic consciousness depending on the content format (video, text, images).

Consequently, a blogger's speech activity in the media space is the most influential source on the recipient's views. Given the well-known division of the media space into white and gray parts, represented by officials and private individuals, it is necessary to highlight the blogger's linguistic personality, the communicative context of which is shaped by predetermined meanings. Personal images acquire additional connotative meanings, fixed in linguistic consciousness at the personal level.

 

Conclusions

A blogger's linguistic consciousness is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, shaped by personal, cultural, and social factors. It plays a key role in establishing a connection with the audience and influencing their perceptions and behavior. In the communicative space of the blogosphere, the linguistic images of all participants overlap, inevitably transforming the semantic meanings of the linguistic personality, creating its variable types. In a rapidly evolving media landscape, understanding the blogger's linguistic personality is becoming paramount for studying contemporary communication processes and their penetration into the consciousness of the collective subject.

Literature

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References

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