Substandard language in the headlines of the Internet media

Abstract

In this article the author explores the language of online media. The stylistic characterisics of colloquial words and expressions, their word-formation patterns and etymology are studied through the case of headlines of the leading Russian online publications. The choice is justified by the high communicative status of online publications, which facilitates the main functions of news texts, i.e. to inform and to influence the reader. The study clarifies the term “substandard” in connection with its modern interpretation. The concept of urban substandard speech and its varieties are defined. By way of stylistic, contextual and quantitative analysis, the author attempts to determine the varieties and functional features of substandard vocabulary in Internet publications. The study also describes the word-formation models and etymological characteristics of the selected items, which helps to determine their position in the system of the modern Russian language. Varieties of substandard speech are revealed: from colloquial expressive items to slang. The path of substandard vocabulary to the codified standard language is traced. The article also shows the relationship between jargon, slang, and urban substandard speech. The research focuses on the substandard vocabulary in the Internet media, which have a significant impact on Modern Standard Russian. The interest in substandard elements in the media is due to the fact that it is through the public discourse that these elements penetrate the standard variety of the language. Internet media, being the leader in the media sphere, play a significant role in this process. This article will be of interest for philologists and journalists, as well as the broad public.