ИНФОРМАЦИОННЫЕ ПОСТЫ АНГЛОЯЗЫЧНОЙ СОЦИАЛЬНОЙ СЕТИ ИНСТАГРАМ

ИНФОРМАЦИОННЫЕ ПОСТЫ АНГЛОЯЗЫЧНОЙ СОЦИАЛЬНОЙ СЕТИ ИНСТАГРАМ

Научная статья

Обвинцева Н.В.^1, *, Юхмина Е.А.²

¹ ORCID 0000-0002-3897-5634;

² ORCID 0000-0002-0358-2646;

¹ Уральский Федеральный Университет, Екатеринбург, Россия;

² Челябинский государственный университет, Челябинск, Россия

* Корреспондирующий автор (n.v.obvintseva[at]urfu.ru)

Аннотация

Данная статья представляет собой результаты исследования информационных постов англоязычной социальной сети Инстаграм. Авторы предлагают развернутую классификацию информационных постов и анализируют их с точки зрения лингвистических и стилистических особенностей. В статье раскрывается коммуникативная цель и функция каждого подтипа информационных постов, дается их анализ. Внимание уделяется структурно-стилистическим аспектам языка информационных Инстаграм-постов. Авторы приходят к выводу, что информационные посты имеют свои особенности, но в то же время подчиняются общим закономерностям образования постов. Результаты исследования могут быть использованы в области рекламы и маркетинга для написания постов соответствующего типа требуемой коммуникативной установки для продвижения товаров, услуг и передачи данных.

Ключевые слова: информационные посты, лингво-семантический анализ, коммуникация, сетевая культура.

INFORMATION POST OF ENGLISH SOCIAL NETWORK INSTAGRAM

Научная статья

Obvintseva N.V.^1, *, Yukhmina E.A. ²

¹ ORCID 0000-0002-3897-5634;

² ORCID 0000-0002-0358-2646;

¹ Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Yekaterinburg, Russia;

² Chelyabinsk State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia

* Corresponding author (n.v.obvintseva[at]urfu.ru)

Abstract

This article presents the results of a profound study of the English Instagram informational posts. The authors offer a detailed classification of the informational posts and analyze them from the point of view of linguistic and stylistic features. The article reveals the communicative goal and functions of each subtype of informational posts and provides their analysis. Special attention is paid to the structural and stylistic aspects of the language of informational Instagram posts. The authors conclude by saying that informational posts have their own characteristics, but at the same time they follow the general laws of the posts formation in the Instagram network. The results of the research can be used in the field of advertising and marketing to create posts of the appropriate type and the required communicative goal to promote products, services, and to transfer information.

Keywords: information posts, linguistic and semantic analysis, communication, net culture.

Introduction

Nowadays, computer-mediated communication has acquired special importance. The speed of information transfer is increasing, the processing methods are changing, and the volume of information is growing along with its availability. Despite the emergence of new means of communication, in which technologies are involved, the very format of communication is set by people [3], [4].

Globalization processes, on the one hand, unite the world, erase cultural differences, but on the other hand, intensify the manifestation of the identity of individual groups and communities. Internet culture in folklore forms is a striking example of this and is of particular interest for research [3], [9], [10]. The texts of network folklore are similar to the texts of traditional folklore, since they reflect the consciousness of people, their national characteristics, cultural traditions, peculiarities of thinking, moral and ethical values [1], [8]. Because of their mobility and laconism, Internet posts spread faster, are easier to remember and are passed on by word of mouth, and the authorship of posts on social networks is easily lost. Network folklore, like traditional folklore, in the process of its development, being a product of eventful, spontaneous creative activity of people, is modified, transformed, modernized and cannot be understood outside the context of real time and life experience. Folklore conquers cultural space on various virtual venues.

The purpose of the study is to analyze the linguistic-structural and stylistic features of English information posts. American scientist G. Lasswell identified three main functions of mass communication: “survey of the surrounding world, which can be interpreted as an information function; correlation with the social structures of society, which can be interpreted as an impact on society and its cognition through feedback; the transfer of cultural heritage, which can be understood as a cognitive and cultural function, the function of cultural continuity”[4]. Later, more functions were identified, such as entertaining, mobilizing and socializing [6].

The texts of the Instagram posts play a special role in the implementation of these functions, since it is the posts that explain the event in the photo or video and are also a direct means of communication. We consider Instagram posts as a phenomenon of network folklore, taking into account the analysis of their stylistic, lexical and grammatical features, as well as their functions and ways of presentation [7].

Methods

In this article, the study is carried out on the basis of a random sample of information posts of the English Instagram social network. The study employs methods of observation and description, as well as structural-semantic and interpretation analysis.

Results

The "information post" concept can be viewed from two angles: first, as a means of promotion and, second, as a communicative means. As a means of promotion (a part of an advertising campaign), an informational post of a commercial account is designed to inspire trust among potential customers, enhance the company's image, create a positive associative connection, retain loyal customers and attract new ones. Acting as a communicative tool, an information post allows users to attract new subscribers, create an image of the author's competence in a certain area, stimulate discussion in the comments, i.e. an informational post posted on a private account is designed to provide the necessary information for Instagram subscribers (see fig. 1), which can really be interesting and useful in their daily life. These posts provide different information: from academic knowledge to friendly advice.

News posts are represented by two subtypes: educational and event posts. In educational posts we distinguish teaching posts, lifehack posts, and art posts [7]. All structural subtypes of information posts are found in both commercial and private Instagram accounts.

Educational posts

Teaching posts are aimed at giving new knowledge in various fields, at the formation of certain skills and abilities. Such posts give an interpretation of any concepts, theories, an explanation of physical and mathematical laws, a description of the experience of research or creative activity. The style of presentation can be scientific or artistic, the function is educational. The style determines the vocabulary. These posts contain special terms and concepts.

Lifehack posts perform a cognitive function and can be considered worldly wisdom. They provide advice and practical knowledge on how to solve a problem quickly, to save time, money and effort. In the network folklore, they function in the form of tips, recommendations, video reviews, algorithms, schemes. They are full of cliché phrases, proverbs, phraseological and idiomatic expressions. The style of presentation is mostly conversational.

Art posts play an aesthetic role, inspiring the readers to plunge into another reality. They provide an opportunity for aesthetic pleasure. Authors of art posts, as a rule, invite their subscribers to discuss the artwork in question. Therefore, these posts contain questions with a request to express the opinion in comments to the post. The style of presentation is journalistic or colloquial.

Event posts (Personal)

Travel posts are of adventure nature. They broaden the horizons of readers, describe the beauty of various places on the planet, stimulate the imagination, and arise positive emotions. Travel posts function in online folklore in the form of detailed overviews, funny stories, short emotional exclamations, elliptical sentences, etc. They are full of colorful epithets, metaphors, comparisons. The style of presentation is journalistic, often conversational.

Descriptive posts introduce readers to the current events of the author’s life. They can be written in the form of routine descriptions of the events of the day, short stories, jokes, emotional exclamations. The style of narration is colloquial; vocabulary is neutral with emotionally colored words and expressions. Note posts state facts, describe events, wish a good day, contain expressions of gratitude, etc. The style of presentation is colloquial, the function is stating. They function in the form of short emotional exclamations or detailed descriptions. Common words, figures of speech and repetitions are typical.

Invitation posts are of appellative nature. Their goal is to invite guests for some events, impel to action. The style of narration is journalistic or official-business, depending on the target audience of the invitation, it can also be colloquial if the posts invite close friends for a party. Imperative and elliptical constructions, as well as passive ones to underline the importance of the event are common for them.

Event posts (Public)

The goal of announcement posts is to inform about significant social or personal events. The style of narration is journalistic or official-business, sometimes colloquial. Constructions with the verb to be (to be excited, to be available etc), interrogative and exclamatory sentences are observed in the posts. Announcements can play an advertising function when it is necessary to attract the new clients or to hold interest of loyal customers to some events, goods, or services. Adjectives and nouns of positive connotation create a required effect. However, these posts inform not only about pleasant and fascinating events, but also about grieved ones.

Benevolent posts informing the users about a particular charity event have the goal of encouraging people to be active, namely, for a donation, i.e. performing an appellative function. In this regard, they have the following features: imperative mood to directly impel to the action, personal pronouns of the first person, plural, exclamatory sentences and emphatic constructions together with non-verbal means. The dominating style is colloquial.

News posts are divided into 4 subtypes.

Sport posts’ functions are educational and analytical. Sport posts are the release of recent events and achievements in sport. The style is official and journalistic. Analytics of the coming sport events, interviews with famous sportsmen, forecasts for the results of matches and simple sport news can be referred to this post type. They are characterized by the use of phrasal verbs, the superlative degree and epithets. Elliptical constructions are often found in such posts serving as a means of forming spontaneous speech of the narrator.

Political posts inform the society on the coming events and cover them, forming public opinion on various events, provide the basics of political education. In comments to the political posts the users express their opinion on the event described, speak to the authorities. The style is journalistic; the functions are informative and analytic.

Life-news posts share relevant information of common people’s lives. The constructions used are either active or passive. The style is journalistic; the functions are informative and analytical.

Society column reflects the events in the lives of famous people. Exclamatory sentences, epithets and elliptical constructions are peculiar for these posts. The style is journalistic and colloquial; the functions are informative and entertaining.

So, each category of posts fulfills its function in modern net folklore. The language of posts is characterized by its simplicity in narration, ease for perception, pronounced expressiveness, colorfulness and sometimes subjectivity. In many posts, the colloquial style of presentation of the material predominates, but the style mostly depends on the authorship. “The accounts of serious organizations most often do not create posts that can be attributed to folklore, since they tend more to the written speech than oral folklore. These are academic descriptions with a consistent bookish style and a specific author” [7].

Fig. 1 – Information posts

 

Conclusion

Thus, all subtypes of information Instagram posts have one common function - informational, while each subtype has its own specific function and its own linguistic-stylistic and linguistic-structural means of expression. The main characteristic is the narrative form of presenting information, i.e. a short story or narration. Despite the different communicative attitudes and functions performed, many posts use the colloquial style of presentation, the imperative mood (as a call to action), as well as constructions designed to attract attention, highlight the post among others, indicate the event uniqueness (emphatic constructions, comparative and superlative degrees of comparison, exclamations, epithets), e.g: Meet the two women who have united to save Egypt's lost Jewish heritage which shrank in the country after the Israeli-Arab conflict in 1948 [5].

These features are typical for all English Instagram posts, while an important feature is also the use of elliptical structures, which make the post short, but concise (which is important nowadays, when the user is aimed at quick perception of information and prefers small informative texts to long articles), and also make the narration simple, lively, natural and easy. By activating the rhema of the utterance, they enhance the expressiveness of the narrator's speech [2].

The classification of information posts and the description of their linguistic and stylistic features allow one more sector of computer-driven communication to be presented more structurally and visually.

Конфликт интересов Не указан.

Conflict of Interest None declared.

Список литературы / Referencies

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