CONTEXTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WORD ЗАПАД IN THE SOVIET AND RUSSIAN MEDIA

Abstract

The article examines the meaning of the word запад in the Russian media at different times. The article analyzes the types of meanings of the word запад in the National Corpus of the Russian language, concludes that the word запад in the Russian media has two types of meaning – vector and territorial. Examples of contexts in which the territorial meanings of the word under study are realized are cultural, artistic, political, social and religious contexts. Unlike the words юг and север, the word запад is used in the Russian media in a vector meaning in fewer cases, while the use of the word запад in a territorial meaning – in a political context – accounts for more than half of the uses in each of the periods we are considering. The researcher comes to a conclusion how the political situation of different periods influenced the use of emotional coloring of different types in the contexts of the Russian media accompanying the use of the word запад. During periods of political uncertainty, the word west in political contexts was used in more positive connotations, while during periods of political tension and antagonism, this word was used in more negative and critical contexts. It is noteworthy that in other types of contexts in which the territorial meanings of the word запад (religious, cultural and historical) are realized, there are no fluctuations of different types of connotations.