Discrediting bullying in online dialogues (on the material of linguo expert practice)

Abstract

This article presents the results of the study — discrediting cyberbullying in the polylogues of network communication. The purpose of the study is to describe the options for the formation of defamatory cyberbullying in network communication and to identify some of its typological features in comparison with conflicting texts of a defamatory orientation in the materials of traditional print media based on the material of controversial texts that became the object of litigation in 2019–2021. The study, conducted on the material of three types of aggressive verbal behavior of network communicators — SMS correspondence, chat in the WhatsApp messenger and personal correspondence in the same messenger, made it possible to clarify some typological features of cyberbullying varieties as a distinct social problem that requires discussion and search for solutions. A comparative analysis of public aggressive speech actions associated with an attempt to discredit an opponent in traditional media (media) and social messengers made it possible to identify their common and different features. The common features, united by the strategy and tactics of discrediting, include: purposeful and pre-planned choice of the victim, due to the situation of communication, goals, the implementation of which is pursued by discrediting or offensive actions; conventionally or legally fixed rules of speech behavior in public and private speech communication. The differences, in our opinion, are primarily due to the type of discourse (institutional, interpersonal or mixed), the form of language manifestation as a means of communication (written/printed, oral, electronic); addressee factor (the number of participants involved in a speech conflict or observing it); a set of linguistic and non-linguistic means selected for cyberbullying. We believe that modern mass media serve as a kind of standard for the selection of speech means of communication, not only in “real”, but also in modern virtual communication.