LEXICAL-SEMANTIC AND STYLISTIC FEATURES OF THE COVERAGE OF SINO-TAIWAN RELATIONS IN AMERICAN PUBLICISTICS (FROM 2021 TO 2023)

Abstract

The scientific work aims to characterise the lexical-semantic and stylistic features of coverage of the current state of Sino-Taiwanese relations in the American press. The research material consists of articles taken from such newspapers as The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Newsweek magazine and publications of the CNN news agency. Methods of the research: contextual analysis (for the most objective characterization of linguistic features of publicistics in the United States); lexical-semantic analysis (an overview of the general position of the authors of newspaper articles regarding the “Taiwanese problem”, to identify and analyze comparisons and antitheses as common stylistic devices in the press); interpretive method (to form the authors’ assessment of the factors that determined the use of certain lexical constructions according to certain aspects of recent Sino-Taiwanese relations). Scientific novelty: for the first time, the authors have carried out a lexico-semantic analysis of Sino-Taiwanese relations based on English-language British and American publicistics regarding the current geopolitical challenges. Conclusions. Idioms in coverage of the “Taiwanese problem” are primarily used to indicate the role of the USA and China in East Asia, as well as to compare the situation around Taiwan with Russia’s attack on Ukraine. The basic idea is Washington’s consideration of the “Taiwanese problem” as a potential bridgehead for a possible confrontation between the two “superpowers”. As for stylistic features, the analysis enabled the researchers to separate numerous epithets, comparisons, antitheses, metaphors and establish their prevalence in the coverage of Sino-Taiwanese relations, as well as personifications, tautologies, and irony, used by the authors of publications less often.