Topoi as part of the argumentation schemes and their role in creating a positive image of the “self” and a negative image of the “other”

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Abstract

We analyze the main topoi used by English-language editorials to build their arguments in order to construct a negative image of immigrants. The relevance of this study is due to the specificity of the trends in the construction of immigration discourse and its various aspects, as evidenced by the large number of scientific works in both domestic and foreign science. The purpose of this study is to analyze the main topoi that actualize the discursive reproduction of negative attitude towards immigrants in the English-language press. We investigate the news reports from the American weekly magazine “Time”, the American news channel “FoxNews” and the British editorials “The Daily Mail”, “The Guardian” and “The Telegraph”. The main methodological basis is a critical discourse analysis, which is based on the understanding of discourse as a form of social interaction. We establish that the power elites construct the public opinion that is beneficial for the power bloc in relation to “others”, form and support negative images of “aliens” as representatives of other races, ethnic groups and cultures using the mass media. We analyze the main linguistic tools that identify topoi with respect to immigrants. We present the specific examples that demonstrate the features of topoi functioning in English-language editorials.

About the authors

M. S. Matytcina

Lipetsk State Technical University

Email: lipmarina@gmail.com

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