The abbreviation VIP in ukrainian and english media discourse (corpus-based approach) 

Abstract.

THE ABBREVIATION VIP IN UKRAINIAN AND ENGLISH MEDIA DISCOURSE (CORPUS-BASED APPROACH)

Yaroslava Hryhoshkina

Department of Theory and Practice of Translation, Vasyl’ Stus Donetsk National University, Vinnytsia, Ukraine.

Abstract

Background: The abbreviation remains a hallmark of the contemporary Ukrainian and English linguistic spaces. Along with the intensification of compressive lexeme formation, a relatively new phenomenon, the so-called combined forms, is steadily gaining popularity. The relevance of the work is due to linguistic and socio-cultural factors: graphic abbreviations have become an integral part of written communication and are widely used in scientific, advertising, political, sports, tourism discourses, as well as in the social media. They cover both formal and informal registers and quickly adapt to modern communication needs, demonstrating current trends in the language. The lexical meaning of abbreviations underlines certain semantic categories, objects, realities and phenomena, and even serves to characterise people and their behaviour. Currently, abbreviations, including VIP, are often used for this purpose in the media discourse. The use of linguistic corpora as sources of large-scale empirical material allows for a comprehensive analysis in a real language environment, and the comparative aspect of the study makes it possible to identify linguistic and cultural similarities / differences in perception and use by two linguistic ethnic groups.

Purpose: To achieve the research goal, the following tasks have been identified: 1) to reveal the essence of word-formation models (such as graphic abbreviation, acronym, abbreviation, initial) in order to establish whether VIP belongs to one of them; 2) to find out the types of VIP origin in English and Ukrainian based on the data from etymological dictionaries; 3) to compare the word-formation potential of VIP in two languages, common and uncommon models with the -VIP- component; 4) to determine the frequency of functioning of the selected lexical unit.

Results: The study specified the status of the VIP lexeme in English and Ukrainian, revealing that it is an initialism in English, and it is an acronym in Ukrainian. The discrepancy in status is due to different approaches to pronunciation in the languages under consideration. The use of abbreviations has more advantages than disadvantages. While translating into English, it recommended to use the term ‘graphic abbreviation’ instead of graphic shortening in case of the Ukrainian графічне скорочення. The analysis of etymology has shown that VIP is a widespread borrowing with high frequency of occurrence in Ukrainian, while in English it is a unit of its own layer of vocabulary which contributes to a much higher frequency of use in the language.

VIP performs similar functions in both languages, mostly acting as an attribute and an object. The significant derivational potential of the abbreviation indicates a difference in the processes of lexeme formation: coinage of new words has been more active in English due to the longer existence of VIP and made it a component of set phrases, although there can be two simultaneous forms of spelling (as a composite with a hyphen and as a separate phrase). VIP in the Ukrainian context is mainly found as a part of compound words more often than in English (where they turn into word combinations as equivalents), which is accounted for the language structure and productive word-building means. The abbreviation under study is mostly associated with the high status and influence of individuals in both linguistic spaces regardless of various discourses, although it can sometimes acquire a negative connotation, especially in the media discourse. The variation in spelling of the term is mostly due to differences in the linguistic competence of users. Both languages reveal variations of VIP like V.I.P, VVIP that will be in the focus of further research. In general, the results of the study highlight the differences and similarities in the status, functioning and derivational potential of VIP in both languages, which is confirmed by empirical material from language corpora GRAC-17 and EnTenTen21.

Discussion: The article provides theoretical information on the study of abbreviations, specifies status of VIP in Ukrainian and English, traces its origin, highlights the derivational potential in both languages, establishes the total frequency of occurrence, and it launches a comprehensive approach to the research on shortened forms like initials and acronyms. The results of the corpora-based queries (in GRAC-17 and EnTenTen21) are described, the idea of a manifold approach to the study of abbreviations in Ukrainian and English is proposed and shown in the comparative aspect.

Keywords: abbreviation, acronym, initialism, graphic abbreviation, word-formation potential, lexeme, language corpus, GRAC-17, EnTenTen21, etymology, media discourse, translation.

Vitae

Yaroslava Hryhoshkina is Ph.D. in Philology, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Theory and Practice of Translation, Vasyl’ Stus Donetsk National University, Ukraine. Her areas of research interests include linguistic typology, comparative semantics, phraseology, comparative grammar of English and Ukrainian, text interpretation, translation.

Correspondence: ya.hryhoshkina@donnu.edu.ua 

Article.

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