Means of expressing subtext in humorous programs on Russian television

Abstract

Subtext plays a significant role in the development of culture in general and mass communication in particular. In connection with the trend of information visualization, it has recently become relevant to identify the means of creating implicit meanings in audiovisual media. Along with this, we note the active development of subtext in the satirical sector of broadcasting. The purpose of our study is to identify verbal and non-verbal ways of expressing subtext in the entertainment sector of Russian television. On the material of the television episodes analysis “Evening Urgant”, based on the textological method and the method of content analysis, the techniques are specified that allow the presenter to broadcast to the audience implicit meanings that not only create a comic effect, but also broadcast relevant, socially significant content. The study found that among the most frequent verbal ways of expressing subtext in the analyzed TV show, polysemy of words, indirect naming, ironic word usage, appeal to precedent texts are used. Among the non-verbal ways of expressing implicit meanings, facial expressions and gestures are most often used, as well as a discrepancy between the verbal and visual range. On the whole, we prove that verbal and non-verbal means of subtext formation, as a rule, complement each other.