Russian Text Author’s Gender Identification in Forensic Examination: Probability-and-Statistics Method

The article discusses intermediate research results in the development and improvement of a computerized model of Russian texts authorization, which is based on complex application of probabilistic-and-statistical methods. The study aims to describe the new capabilities of the created system in the aspect of its application to diagnostic examinations in text authorization for detection of the gender of the alleged author of the text. The work presents the next stage of fine-tuning and testing of the improved version of the computer program "CTA" (computerized text authorization), which at this stage was adapted for the task of determining and comparing stable relative frequencies of correlation coefficients (the ratio of specified linguistic phenomena of different levels of the language system) in the texts, the authors of which are men and women. The research material is the continuously updated primary bases of literary texts of the 19 th and 21 st centuries (4 bases, respectively). The work shows that for the texts written by men and women, significant differences can be noted in such correlation coefficients as average word length, average sentence length, objectivity coefficient, quality coefficient, activity coefficient, dynamism coefficient, connectivity coefficient, etc. Verification of the results obtained experimentally has demonstrated that the accuracy of gender determining at this stage of the study is approximately 65%. This indicator can be significantly exceeded with an increase in the volume and quality specification of databases and/or when using new models for calculating the correlation coefficients (Spearman's model, etc.).

Poetic Diction and Standard Language: Predictive Aspect

The article deals with the interdiction convergence on the example of evolutionary changes in lexical semantics of poetic language. The current study contributes to the development of the methodology for studying the language evolutionary processes. The paper describes certain trends of dynamic changes and their specifics; it gives some prediction about the further lexis convergence of different types of functional styles. The findings contribute to the development of lexicography which is going to reflect not only static but also dynamic characteristics of lexical units including stylistic ones. The subjectivity of labeling poetic vocabulary in dictionaries can be partially removed through the analysis of corpus data by comparing frequency indices in different subsections, however this method is not always accurate, moreover, it doesnt effectively trace evolutionary changes. The data from the psycholinguistic experiments can help reveal the dynamics of changes. On the one hand, the results of scaling show the extent of poetry in connotative meanings; on the other hand, the open-response associative experiment allows us to calculate the archaization index of a lexeme through summing up the numerical values of certain selected parameters. The research gives obvious evidence of active archaization of some specific poetic lexemes. The findings also prove that the dynamic changes in stylistic connotation are not synchronous with the changes in the denotative layer of a lexical unit.

Tag Questions in English Spoken Discourse: Corpus-Based Linguistic and Pragmatic Analysis

Based on an integrative methodology that combines quantitative and qualitative methods of linguistic research, the authors consider grammatical forms, syntactic types and pragmatic functions of the tag question in British spoken discourse. The research material included samples of dialogues with tag questions taken from British contemporary fiction and the Spoken BNC2014. Drawing on the theory of linguistic metarepresentation and using corpus analysis tools the authors presented the model under study in structural-syntactic and functional-pragmatic perspectives and obtained reliable data on discourse realization of tag question models, specified their standard and common usage polarity status, distinguished bi- and monopolarity variations. An analysis of the tag question types that are distinguished as the combinations of the predicative and auxiliary parts shows that the most frequent type of tag question is the one formed with an affirmative predicative part and a negative tag. The corpus-based approach allowed obtaining quantitative data on frequencies of tag questions in British spoken discourse, retrieving the repertoire of tag questions with their grammatical representation. It is shown that in the corpus under study the most frequent form of the tag question is the form isn't it?. The least frequent forms of tag questions are the ones formed with the have verb, as well as the modal verbs will, may, can, which supports the thesis that tag questions are losing ground in British spoken discourse. Discourse-pragmatic analysis of utterance contexts with tag questions highlighted its discourse value in the British tradition of conversation, as they perform the following communicative functions: informational; etiquette; interpersonal-relation-corrective (focus-positive or focus-negative).

Cognitive Metaphor and Discourse: Research Methods and Paradigms

The article dwells on a modern cognitive and discourse study of metaphors. Taking the advantage of the analysis and fusion of information in foreign and domestic papers, the researcher delves into their classification from the ontological, axiological and epistemological points of view. The ontological level breaks down into two basic approaches, namely metaphorical nature of discourse and discursive nature of metaphors. The former analyses metaphors to fathom characteristics of discourse, while the other provides for the study of metaphorical features in the context of discursive communication. The axiological aspect covers critical and descriptive studies and the epistemological angle comprises quantitive and qualitative methods in metaphorical studies. Other issues covered in the paper incorporate a thorough review of methods for identification of metaphors to include computer-assisted solutions (Word Sense Disambiguation, Categorisation, Metaphor Clusters) and numerical analysis of the metaphorical nature of discourse – descriptor analysis, metaphor power index, cluster analysis, and complex metaphor power analysis. On the one hand, the conceptualization of research papers boils down to major features of the discursive approach to metaphors and on the other, multiple studies of metaphors in the context of discourse pave the way for a discursive trend in cognitive metaphorology.

Secondary Somatic Nominations in Media Texts Covering Economy, Business and Politics Spheres

The article set out to reveal the specific features of secondary somatic nominations in media texts in the spheres of economy, business, and politics. The significance of the problem under study is implied by a need for elucidating the evolution of language consciousness by shedding light on how corporeal lexis in the Russian language is involved in verbalization of reality in the spheres in question. The study demonstrated that secondary somatic nominations evolve due to transformation of the meaning of a linguistic unit, whose primary meaning is associated with various aspects of the human body existence. This transformation of the meaning seems to be a common way of denotating reality in the texts under investigation. We specified the sources of somatic expansion, whose semantic content is most frequently redefined in the thematic fields in question. We also identified the denotation areas (conceptual fields) where corporeal lexis is used in their secondary meanings. Our research demonstrated considerable pragmatic potential of the texts including somatic linguistic units. We established that their evaluative content results from axiological connotations associated with various corporeal concepts in the Russian linguoculture. Their expressiveness is achieved due to imagery created by unusual contextualization of somatic linguistic units. The results of the current study made it possible to establish the ways of transforming the meanings of somatic linguistic units in the investigated spheres in the Russian language. Transformation of the meanings of somatic lexis occurs by using metaphors, metonymy, similes, irony, epithets, oxymoron, gradation, language game, etc.

Representation of the Phenomenon “Trust” in Medical Advertising Discourse

The problem of creating institutional trust in modern Russian society is considered on the example of advertising activities of companies that produce and promote drugs on the consumer market. In order to identify techniques that contribute to the effective impact on the recipient – the formation of a trusting attitude towards the advertised product, the commercials shown on Russian television from 2010 to 2020 were analyzed. Using the methods of content analysis, discourse and stylistic analysis, elements of component and distributive analysis, it has been established that professional participants in medical advertising discourse use such techniques as the use of toponyms, lexical units borrowed from military discourse, terms, words with positive or negative connotations, presentation of statistical data, construction of a first-person statement, rhetorical questions. It was found that the mention of the country of origin of the drug, which is authoritative for the Russian consumer, has a positive effect on the confidence of patients in this drug; military vocabulary evokes associations with speed, accuracy, direction, strength and testifies to the effectiveness of the drug; medical, chemical, biological terms, statistical data objectify the transmitted information; rhetorical questions, self-narrative and others contribute to the establishment of close contact with the consumer.

Between Proper Name and Appellative: Lexicography of Words with Borderline Status (Exemplified by Neologism Brexit)

The problems of lexicography of new words that appeared in the Russian language in the 21 st century are considered based on the materials of the upcoming thematic Explanatory Dictionary of Unity and Enmity in the Russian Language of 2000–2020. The author of the article is one of the dictionary compilers. It is stated that the difficulties of describing new borrowed lexical units, that are at the stage of usage, are associated with the establishment of their lexical, grammatical and stylistic characteristics. Criteria for their determination are proposed. The principles of choosing the variant of heading word spelling in a dictionary entry are argued. Based on the methods of definitional, linguoculturological and content analysis using textual material extracted from mass media resources, a methodology for compiling a dictionary entry has been developed, which makes it possible to give a detailed description of the lexical, grammatical, stylistic, paradigmatic and pragmatic characteristics of current borrowings. As a result of this technique application, a dictionary entry of Brexit neologism is presented, reflecting the unstable position of this lexeme in the Russian language system, the status of which fluctuates between a proper name and an appellative. The material and methodology for its systematization can be considered when compiling explanatory dictionaries of new words in the Russian language.

Specific Features of Linguistic Coding of Elements of a Godonym Space

The article analyses linguistic constituency of the godonym space of three cities in the Volgograd region – Volgograd, Kamyshin and Petrov Val. The godonym space is a set of geographic names officially assigned to linear topo objects located within settlements. Having taken into account the definitions of the term "linguistic code" in linguistics, the authors offer their interpretation of the phenomenon under study. The research revealed the most important features of the linguistic code: consistency, structural unity, relevant-to-users information, as well as conventionality and symbolism, which convey positive assessments. The linguistic codes that understate intracity linear topo objects nominations are distinguished and specified as memorial, locative, topographic, anthropogenic, symbolic, naturalistic, relatively-abstract, orderly types. Both the general features of motivations in the code actualization for naming linear topographic objects, and the specific set of odonyms that nominates locations in the godonym space of every of the three cities have been established. It was noted that, being the largest, Volgograd godonym space demonstrates variety of linguistic codes, whereas Kamyshin and Petrov Val codes are specified by memorial, local, topographis, anthropogenic and symbolic types. The article offers for observation the historically defined set of geographical names of linear topographic objects in the three cities of the Volgograd region, which reflects multiple ethnic contacts of it, and renaming of road names due to the local authorities "interference" in the godonym space.

“Coronavirus” Innovations in Media Language and Internet Communication

The article examines the structural features of neologisms associated with coronavirus pandemic based on the texts of mass media and Internet communication. The paper uses such research methods as the continuous sampling method, the general scientific descriptive and analytical method, the methods of word-formation, structural and semantic analysis of neologisms. The authors analyzed the nominal derivatives of conventional (addition, prefix, suffixation, affixation) and occasional (inter-word overlap, graphic hybridization, substitution derivation) methods of word formation in media texts. The key elements of the sociocultural space (virus, quarantine, coronavirus, masks, etc.) that evoke negative associations in the addressee are identified. Having found and analysed nominations with the corona component, the researchers proved that this element tends to demonstrate the features of prefixoid. Neologisms with corona component are critical phenomena, negative changes in the economy, tourism, politics; they denote the living conditions that have developed during the coronavirus infection, etc. It is shown that the vocabulary of the modern Russian language is actively replenished with verbal neologisms, which areused to add expressiveness to media text; they correlate with actual phenomena of public life. The authors conclude that "coronavirus" neologisms participate in creating the expressiveness of the text, reflect reality, and allow journalists to deliver their own opinion. The results of the conducted research contribute to word-formation neology, media linguistics, can be useful to students of philological specialties, lecturers and tutors, as well as to anyone interested in active processes, which occur in the modern Russian language.

Absolute Participial Construction Theory: Controversial Issues

The study focuses on current problems associated with the evolution of absolute participial construction and its linguistic status in the French language. It has been established that, borrowed from classical Latin, the absolute construction with an ablative was accepted to the Old French language, presumably in the 13 th –14 th centuries thanks to translations from the Latin language. Widely used in literature, the construction caused disputes among grammarians and only at the beginning of the 20 th century it was recognized as normative. In the second part of the article, a review of the Russian and foreign scientific literature is made, the most controversial issues and the author's own position based on corpus data are formulated. The properties inherent in all types of absolute participial constructions are determined: binarity, semantic duality, expression of predominantly temporary, causal meaning or value of an accompanying action, mobility, syntactic optionality in relation to a matrix sentence, the possibility of functioning only as part of a complex sentence. It was revealed that this construction is an economical formal way of expressing a proposition based on a secondary predicative connection. The features of constructions with present participles, past participles and complex past participles are analyzed. The conclusion is made about the need for a differentiated approach to the analysis of these types of absolute structures. The prospect of further studies of linguistic structures is shown.