Language manipulation strategies of the political advertising in Bulgaria

Abstract

The present article considers the nature and specifics of the term “language manipulation strategies” in Bulgaria. This is achieved on the grounds of the clarification of manipulation (as definiteness) and of its importance upon its use in various pre-election campaigns. In connection with this, this article determines the meaning of language manipulation strategies, their scientific nature, as well as their main purpose in the pre-election fight. In addition, the key elements of the so-called “language of change” (after 10.11.1989) in Bulgaria are presented herein, just like the lexical occasionalisms, lexical neologisms, semantic neologisms, the change in the stylistic shade, etc. This article presents a detailed analysis of the so-called “language play” in the advertising text of the respective political subjects. Besides the definiteness of the term in a synthesized order, this article presents six leading variants of a language play — play advertising methods (quotation), a play upon phraseology, methaphorical nomination, a play upon syntagmatics, occasional word creation, and a play upon the black and white drawing. These language plays are also illustrated with the respective examples from preelection campaigns. Special attention is paid to the manipulation rules of political advertising, such as the establishment of the brand (mark), the successful device (slogan, motto), the easy messages, the language manipulations, the “sale” of the charisma, brief speaking, conscious repetition, fabrication, no lies, and “proper” manipulation.