TROLLING IN UKRAINIAN-LANGUAGE MEDIA: LINGUISTIC ASPECT

Abstract

Goal. The aim of the study is a comprehensive analysis of a special type of speech behavior-trolling. The article characterizes the phenomenon of trolling as a kind of deviant communication. It is noted that trolling occurs as a reaction to changes in the functioning of media platforms. There are differences between trolling and flame, flood, spam, holivar, hating, cyberbullying. The linguistic means of trolling expression in the Ukrainian-language media space are analyzed.

Methods. To determine and describe the lexical-semantic structure of the studied trolling comments, the structural-contextual method was used; interpretive analysis made it possible to explain the meaning of the selected messages; contextual analysis helped to identify associative semantic features of textual comments; with the help of introspection it was possible to trace individual thoughts that arise during one’s own activity and are realized in the analysis of trolling comments.

Results. The result of the investigation was the definition of trolling as an integral part of virtual communication, which is identified by a combination of specific methods, tactics and strategies of the communicator’s behavior. It is established that the behavior of trolls can be manifested in two forms – “thick” (“malicious”) and “thin” trolling. Phenomena that are often identified with trolling are characterized, although they have significant differences: flame, flood, spam, holivar, hating, cyberbullying. Linguistic analysis of trolling in Ukrainian-language media through language means on phonetic, lexical-semantic, grammatical, syntactic levels is carried out.

Conclusions. During the study, it was found that one of the methods of detecting trolls in the Ukrainian-language media space is to establish emotional markers that are polarly opposite to most verbal units. Means of expressing the strategy of trolls can be traced at all language levels: at the lexical level it is possible to use pejorative vocabulary, in particular swear words, individual word formation, zoometaphors used with negative meaning. Graphic means of expression of trolling language are realized by reduplication of letters and punctuation marks.