Representation of the concept RESPECT in media discourse

The aim of the paper is discourse and semiotic analysis of the concept respect in media discourse. The relevance of this study is due to the need to understand the processes of discourse influence and semantic transformation, as well as modelling and interpretation of concepts in the language user’s consciousness within media discourse. During media communication, the ensemble of conceptual domains forming the media discourse space facilitates the transmission of both verbal and nonverbal information, creates a context for understanding and exchanging of meaning between sender and receiver, and actively shapes public consciousness while transforming cultural values and senses. The representation of a concept is considered to be a powerful tool of hidden mass media influence on audience behavior and opinion. To achieve the objective a comprehensive methodological approach was used. An etymological analysis of the concept respect in Slavic and European languages revealed both universal features common to all cultures and differential features specific to individual linguistic cultures with their traditions and values. Based on the finding that in Slavic languages respect denotes the recognition of value, whereas in European languages it signifies an act of attention, two distinct conceptual models were identified and described as value / weight for Slavic languages and attention / consideration for European languages. The study concludes that the verbal representation of a concept is realized through the objectivization of certain aspects of its content by various means, revealing not only the linguistically constructed world but also the distinctive ways in which this world is apprehended. The representation of the concept respect in media discourse transforms the concept – a mental unit representing a quantum of structured knowledge – into a genuinely significant element of consciousness.