Hypertextuality of modern professional communication

 

HYPERTEXTUALITY OF MODERN PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

A surge of research interest in professional communication, its inner meaning, and its structural components has been observed in Russian and international linguistic thought since the late 20th century. Whether this is the result of a specific sociocultural situation or marks the advent of a new paradigm is difficult to answer definitively. Most likely, both options are correct. The modern communicative space is radically different from that which existed just recently, just a few decades ago. The new electronic reality leaves a unique imprint on all areas of society, including professional communication. As is well known, the specific conceptual system serving the professional sphere functionally gravitates toward the linguistic realization of specifically encoded information. Information technology has led to the linear structuring of information being replaced by a variable system of transitions between semantic units. This sequence of transitions is nonlinear, fragmented, open, interactive, and incomplete, making the concept of "hypertext" one of the central categories in professional communication. The purpose of this article is to outline the hypertextuality of professional communication, which makes it relevant today.
Keywords: hypertext, intertextuality, professional communication, polycode text, semantic coherence of text.

 

Ryabova M.

HYPERTEXTUALITY OF MODERN PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

A surge of research interest in professional communication, internal meaning and its structural components has been observed in Russian and foreign linguistic thought since the end of the twentieth century. Whether this is the result of a certain socio-cultural situation or marks the onset of a new paradigm, it is difficult to answer unequivocally. Most likely, both options are correct. The modern communication space is radically different from the one that existed almost recently, several decades ago. The new electronic reality imposes a unique imprint on all areas of society's activities, including professional communication. As you know, a specific conceptual system that serves the professional sphere, functionally tends to the language implementation of specially encoded information. Information technologies have led to the fact that the linear order of information structuring is replaced by a variable system of transitions between semantic units. The sequence of transitions is non-linear, fragmentary, open, interactive, and incomplete. therefore, the concept of «hypertext»becomes one of the Central categories in professional communication. The purpose of this article is to outline the hypertextuality of professional communication that actualizes it today.

Keywords: hypertext, intertextuality, professional communication, polycode text, semantic connection of the text

Professional communication: production new values

Numerous works have been devoted to the problem of professional communication, including oral professional communication (O.N. Strukova), oral and written professional communication (S.V. Kuprina), professional speech in business communication (T.A. Milekhina), and many other studies. This interest is not accidental, but is driven by the evolving discursive potential of modern society, immersed in digital technologies. Professional communication deserves in-depth linguistic research, primarily because it is a living, dynamic system. The interweaving of professional speech practices into the sociocultural context of today's society forms a kind of coded construct, the essence of which is the intertextual complexity of professional communication, in which even key concepts require careful rethinking.

An analysis of works devoted to professional communication reveals the absence of a generally accepted definition. In linguistics, professional communication is understood as the totality of all linguistic means used "for specific communicative needs" [10, p. 26]. It is essential that professional communication is characterized by some kind of direct or indirect contact between communicants, in which the linguistic means they use are dictated by the communicative situation. This presupposes the presence of implicit content in professional communication, the absence of defined boundaries, and dispersion. This theoretical ambiguity has led to the spread of simplified ideas about business communication, rooted in standard behavior and stereotypes in perception.

Professional language consolidates specialized knowledge, the basis of which is text. A landmark event in the functioning of professional communication was the hypertext method of data transmission, aimed at the accelerated exchange of thematically structured messages, initiating variability in the reading of key semantic constructs, turning the text into a transcendental source of new thought. Such a text presupposes contact with another text, the beginning of which is hidden in the original text. The concentration of professional topics in a text is always hypertext. However, the extrapolation of hypertext into the field of linguistics has not been sufficiently studied. An analysis of a significant number of works by domestic and foreign authors allows us to assert the lack of unambiguity in the understanding of the concept of "hypertext." However, despite the various approaches to interpreting the concept, one can note the similarity of the authors' opinions in considering hypertext as a specific structure "in the form of a connected network of nests, interconnected by nonlinear relationships in multidimensional space" [11]. While sharing this position, I would like to add that it makes sense to develop concepts of hypertext in the context of professional communication as a multi-level activity. Each level can serve as a semantic reference to the next level. Thanks to the multi-level nature of hypertext in professional communication, the range of perception of specialized text expands.

As is well known, texts classically constructed using a linear organizational model dictate a direction within the text, which is limited to a single plane. Hypertext, however, allows, through nonlinear transitions, for instantaneous reading along various paths, including paths of endless contingency. The presence of internal references imbues each individual text with a certain intention toward modifiable cognitive structures, which can be perceived in any sequence. In the context of asymmetrical communication, each subsequent reading of the text can be structured according to a new semantic task. Hypertext systems are based on associative perception and presentation of information, so the active transformation of the professional field inevitably restructures the cognitive structures of consciousness, orienting it toward accelerated information acquisition and thereby shaping a different type of thinking that erases time boundaries and distances. Expanding the boundaries of the text leads to multiple hypertextual connections, enriching differentiated subject areas and specific perspectives on them. The process of understanding such hypertext is determined by the relationship between the content of the specialist's subjective worldview, the specifics of their thinking, and the structural and substantive characteristics of the text itself. Furthermore, professional hypertext enables collaborative scientific research, thereby serving as a crucial mechanism for collective thinking.

The factual material on hypertext allows us to discuss the complexity and contradictions of the phenomenon under study. On the one hand, it is a paradoxical structure with multilingual redundancy, and on the other, it is a constantly changing semiotic system that refers to the deep meanings of specifically oriented knowledge. Behind this duality lies the mechanism by which current (or previous) meaning is transformed into subsequent meaning. Thus, the problem of hypertext encompasses aspects of the change and perception of professional texts transformed into an asymmetrical polycode hypertext structure.

 

Ontology professional communications: polycode hypertext

The very formulation of the problem of the polycode nature of professional communication indicates the presence of a certain excess meaning, represented by means of different modalities. However, a contradiction can be perceived here, since this excess meaning includes, in particular, the semantic characteristics that ensure the principle of text coherence. In linguistics, a text is considered coherent if "the repetition of semantic elements reaches a maximum" [2, p. 34]. That is, when perceiving a text, not strictly linguistic but also logical operations are performed, indicating the possibility of multiple interpretations and the variability of hypertext.

It would seem that the complexity of hypertext structure, its cognitive load, and the countless number of links would negatively impact its unambiguous comprehension. However, professionally oriented hypertexts are the most effective in providing specialized information, as they presuppose independent cognitive activity (synergy) on the part of the subject. Essentially, we are talking about the ontology of the professional communication process, in which the tone is directly set by the subject. Thus, a certain human dimension, correlated with the specialized knowledge acquired and based on a system of mental images, occupies key positions in professional communication.

According to the point of view of modern scientists (B.G. Ananyev, A.A. Gostev, G. Hunt, and others), images of consciousness are polycode [1]. In the process of image explication (externalization – in the terminology of E.F. Tarasov), the subject selects the corresponding code. Mental images, interpreted as a "generalized name for various sensory properties and perceptual categories" [5, p. 26], are subjective and polyvariant, from which the subject derives various meanings. The subject field of any professional hypertext is characterized by information arrays, the code structural foundations of which are also different. Coding is considered as a permanent "flow" of information into a symbolic form (verbal and non-verbal). The assumption that the human brain "externalizes" images of consciousness, that is, the directly given, allows us to interpret hypertext in professional communication as an emergent property of the cognitive system, the components of which are located in the so-called "sphere Between" verbal and non-verbal representative images. The dynamics of this scheme is manifested in the fact that the non-verbalized turns into the verbalized, and vice versa. The format of perceptual images, as D.I. Dubovsky believes, "reveals two levels of the current subjective reality: not yet verbalized and already verbalized" [3, p. 77]. The subject, perceiving the incoming message, finds himself in a situation of individual interpretation of information, while "thoughts excited by the semantic perception of speech messages are formed each time anew, here and now, and did not exist in this specific configuration previously" [8, p. 37]. It seems quite obvious that various images of consciousness transform incoming information in light of the subject's existing experience. Individual differences significantly influence the effectiveness of engaging in hypertextuality in professional communication. The key feature here lies in the fact that professional communication, based on hypertext, engages the subject, giving them the opportunity to independently select the information they need. This specific hypertextuality of multilingual professional communication elevates it to a new value dimension. It is worth emphasizing that the asymmetry of professional communication contributes to its rapid expansion, becoming commonplace and reflecting the specific nature of consumer culture.

 

Specifics professional communications

The specific nature of business communication manifests itself in the semantic field of professional activity. This semantic field is heterogeneous. On the one hand, professional communication generates meanings associated with the recording of complex, variable information intended for professionals. On the other hand, business communication extends beyond its own professional semantic zone, as it addresses the cognitive subject, who imprints the content of professional communication as subjectively perceived within the objective (previously acquired) body of knowledge.

The inherent diversity of professional communication leads to the presence of multiple boundaries within its structure, defining a multitude of subjective realities that merge into one another, revealing ambivalence. This means that a subject immersed in professional communication is capable of not only perceiving new information but also critically assimilating it.

Understanding the mechanism for implementing professional communication built on a system of ambivalent relationships comes down to the following key points.

Firstly, it should be noted that the activation of professional communication raises methodological tasks of detailing its essential characteristics.

Secondly, the opposition between subjective and objective in professional communication presupposes two stable poles, while a clear boundary between them is impossible to draw. This distinction is established by the subject of communication, who is themselves involved in professional interaction, and therefore the uniqueness of the current moment means a constant renewal of its sociocultural content, embodied in the text.

A specialized text operates in a communicative space aimed at the progressive activity of the subject, presupposing the transformation of professionally significant qualities consciously developed by them. In this context, a text should be viewed not only as a unit of communication but also as a cultural object. That is, a specialized text is interpreted as a functional, hierarchically organized, substantive-semantic entity correlated with the communicative-cognitive intent of the communicant. The hypertextuality of professional communication is based on various semantic modalities of culture.

A characteristic feature of cultural objects is linked to the mentality of a reflective view of oneself, pushing the subject toward a meta-position. A meta-position in relation to professional communication becomes a prerequisite for access to knowledge. The subject enters a higher state, expanding their own capabilities and completing a field of specialized knowledge within their consciousness.

Hypertext is a reality that offers the potential for intensifying information flows, intensifying business communication, and developing professional culture. The effectiveness of professional communication, or communicative success, is determined by a high degree of mastery of various codes, when the process of code-switching [7] is automated, occurring spontaneously rather than consciously.

 

***

The pros and cons of hypertextuality in professional communication can be identified. It can be viewed as both a factor in the erosion of the depth of knowledge and a stimulus for the development of new types of productive thinking. It is impossible to definitively determine which pole is more significant. One thing is clear: professional communications play a vital role in effective decision-making. It should be noted that hypertextuality in professional communication shapes the professional mentality of specialists in any field, regardless of their thinking style. This leads to the conclusion that hypertextuality in professional communication cannot be explicated using purely linguistic methods, but rather contains subtextual meanings that lie within an interdisciplinary field and require separate study.

 

 

Literature

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References

1. Anan'ev BG Psychology of sensory cognition. Moscow: Publishing House of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences RSFSR, 1960. 486 p.
2. Apresyan Yu.D. Selected Works. Vol. 1. Lexical Semantics. Synonymous Means of the Language. Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura, 1995. 472 p.
3. Dubrovsky D. I. The problem of the ideal. Subjective reality. Moscow: Kanon+, 2002, 368 p.
4. Zinchenko VP Consciousness and creative act. Moscow: Languages of Slavic Cultures, 2010. 590 p.
5. Lotman YU.M. Izbrannye stat'i [Selected articles]: V 3 t. T. 1. Tallinn: Aleksandra, 1992. 1440 s.
6. Mamardashvili MK, Pyatigorsky AM Symbol and consciousness. Metaphysical reasoning about consciousness, symbolism, and language. Moscow: Languages of Russian Culture, 1997, 215 p.
7. Myskin SV Psycholinguistic aspects of professional communication // Bulletin of the Volgograd State University. Series 2: Linguistics. Volgograd: VolGU, 2013. No. 2(18). P. 199-206.
8. Tarasov EF Actual problems of analysis of language consciousness // Language consciousness and the image of the world / otv. ed. NV Ufimtseva. M.: IYA RAS, 2000. pp. 24-32.
9. Frumkina RM Color, meaning, similarity: aspects of psycholinguistic analysis. Moscow: Nauka, 1984. 175 p.
10. Bernstein M. Hypertext with Characters. Conversations with Friends [Elektronnyj resurs] URL: http://www.eastgate.com/hypertext/characters/IWHD.html (data obrashcheniya: 12/19/2019).
11. Möhn D., Pelka R. Fachsprachen. Eine Einfü Tübingen: Max Niemeyer Verlag Gmbh and Co. KG, 1984. 171 p.