Manipulation in Political Discourse of Mass Media

Abstract

The article discusses the main means of verbal persuasion used in political discourse, and their functions in the text. The concept of manipulation is defined from various perspectives and features peculiar to the political discourse of mass media are investigated. The political discourse is characterized by a combination of different tools of speech manipulation which found reflection in political discourse of mass media. And these reflections are given at different levels including phonographic, grammatical, lexical and lexical-pragmatic. The political discourse is characterized by manipulative feature for the purpose of conducting propaganda and ideological conflict which is done with the help of various linguistic units and methods such as alliteration, rhyme, rhythmization, nominalization, converse terms, neologisms, periphrases, deictic units, euphemisms, dysphemisms, sophisticated lexis, barbarisms, elliptic language and inversion. Political discourse of mass media has a huge impact on formulation of public opinion which is done with the help of the above-mentioned tools of speech manipulation.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s1p325