Stylistic transformation of biological terminology in modern mass media

Abstract

This article examines how biological terminology functions in contemporary mass media language. Additionally, it identifies the major thematic groups in biological terminology and traces their semantic changes in the language of mass media. The primary function of mass media is to highlight current problems of society and to inform ordinary people, so it is natural that scientific language is actively incorporated into journalistic narratives. Usually, the most relevant terms for society enter mass media. Everyday attention of the mass media is largely focused on issues of health, food, conservation and genetic inheritance, which inevitably activates the involvement of the terminology of the biological sciences in the attributes of this style. In the language of mass media, biological terms can function in a direct sense, performing a directly informative function and indirectly an epistemological function, popularizing new knowledge for readers, and in a figurative sense, performing stylistic and expressive functions. Terminology, used in a figurative sense, not only helps to figuratively and eloquently characterize socio-political processes, specific public figures, reproduce complex political vicissitudes, but it also becomes a tool of linguistic influence on the recipient. Among the biological terms that have undergone semantic transformations in the language of mass media, it is possible to outline separate thematic groups: names of sciences; terms for different types of organisms or groups of organisms; terms for parts of organisms; terms for biological processes, states and phenomena; terms for genetic concepts. When taken outside of its natural domain, the biological vocabulary can give journalism novelty and freshness, accuracy and effectiveness. With frequent use, the terminology becomes clear to readers and becomes part of their active vocabulary.