The discourse strategy of irrationalizing the perception of an English-language opinion article

The subject of the study is the discourse strategy of irrationalizing the perception of an English-language opinion article. It was suggested that the leading intention of the author is an attempt to influence the readers' opinions and behaviour, which contradicts the conventionally recognized purpose of this media genre to express the author's opinion. The author’s strategic goal is to select the most effective linguistic means to convince the reader of the need to make a certain decision or perform an action that activates predominantly irrational forms of human thinking. The effectiveness of this strategy depends on the fact that the reader does not realize the author's manipulative intentions. The task of a linguist is to explain this to the readers, thereby developing their critical thinking skills. The study is based on the theory of Critical Discourse Analysis, aimed at identifying and “exposing” manipulative discourse strategies. A discourse strategy means generating discourse as an interconnected sequence of speech acts gradually implementing the discourse producer's intention. The analysis of speech acts forming the opinion article discourse was carried out using the method of calculating speech acts by J. Searle. An attempt has been made to demonstrate the pseudo-assertive and indirectly directive nature of the opinion article. The most effective way to achieve the desired effect is to strategically irrationalize the perception of the article by disguising its directive macro-proposition under an assertive statement and repeating it to create a “no-alternatives opinion” feeling, as well as selecting certain linguistic means actualizing irrational forms of human thinking such as figurative, stereotypical, associative.

Critical Discourse Analysis, opinion article, irrationalization, indirect directive, discourse strategy, stereotype, critical thinking, antithesis, increasing gradation, manipulating public opinion