Pragmatic potential of evaluative adjectives in military-political discourse

Abstract

The article studies evaluative adjectives in military-political discourse through the pragmatic approach. The focus is on the mechanisms of cognitive, emotional, and contextual impact that these linguistic units have on the audience. The article aims to explore the pragmatic potential of evaluative adjectives in the context of military-political discourse. The research objectives include the analysis of the features characterizing the way evaluative adjectives are used by Western and Russian politicians, the study of the mechanisms of their influence on the audience, and the role of context in the interpretation of such statements. The study demonstrates that evaluative adjectives both describe events and play a significant role in manipulating public opinion, enhancing emotional responses, reinforcing social norms, and adapt to the specific communication context. By analyzing both Western and Russian politicians’ statements regarding the Special Military Operation (SMO), the article examines how evaluative language constructs cognitive frames, reinforces social norms, triggers emotional reactions, and shapes audience perceptions. The conclusions of the article emphasize the significant manipulative potential of evaluative adjectives in modern military-political discourse. The pragmatic component of their use requires further study.