2015-№1(46) Article 10

A.G. Golodov

The language of information war in German print mass media. P. 104-116.

UDC 811.11

The paper investigates lexical means used by German journalists in factual narrative and in evaluative description of events on the example of an article which focuses on the 2013–2014 Ukrainian crisis. The article, which is typical of contemporary German press, is printed in a tabloid Bild. The events of recent decades prove that words are a mighty tool for manipulation of public opinion, which is used by democratic strongholds as well as by totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. All actions of one’s allies are justified through disorienting descriptions (“pragmatic hypocrisy”) which can be defined as political and military expressions used to disorient people and disguise political and military actions. Pragmatic hypocrisy is aimed at ensuring favorable representation of political decisions and actions. Thus, criminal actions of one’s allies are represented as inoffensive or even heroic. One’s opponents are described with political dysphemisms, since they are alien to the Euro-Atlantic Partnership.

Language of information war, verbal discrediting, fact manipulation, language manipulation, description, disorienting descriptions, political dysphemisms

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