THE FUNCTIONING OF DIACRITICAL, MATHEMATICAL AND TYPOGRAPHICAL SYMBOLS IN THE MODERN ENGLISH MASS MEDIA COMMUNICATIVE SPACE

Abstract

This article is focused on the investigation of non-verbal and paraverbal resources which are utilized in the modern English-language mass media communicative space. In this paper, an analysis of diacritical, mathematical and typographical symbols is presented when their utilization places them within the general category of non-verbal and paraverbal elements in the modern English-language mass media communicative space. The group “Non-pictographical and non-photographic elements” includes punctuation marks, as well as diacritical, typographic and other auxiliary signs, and mathematical symbols, and abbreviations. As noted above, this study focuses in detail on the specific features of various types of diacritical, mathematical and typographical marks as integral modes within the media environment. Their semantic and structural features are outlined, their functional load is identified, and their role in the modern English-language mass media communicative space are demonstrated. In addition to their traditional use they are also used unconventionally. It has been established that diacritical, mathematical and typographical marks have a broader range of possibilities and multifunctional potential. Diacritical and punctuation marks often have a meaning which proves their irregular usage. It has been shown that these combinations are not inadvertent, but on the contrary, are well thought and logical techniques for presenting information and influencing potential audiences. It has been demonstrated that these graphic symbols are used for decorations and they often serve as trademarks. Arrows perform a number of different functions and serve as a means of directing attention from a text reference to a pertinent URL; to direct attention to a subsequent page or a subsequent issue of a periodical; to perform a specific pointing function, in order to direct the attention of readers to an image or potentially to a text box which is referred to within the body of an article; to indicate the item structure of information, in the same manner as bullet points; to visually reinforce a textual reference to literal or figurative movement in a vertical or horizontal direction; to perform a specific pointing function, in order to direct the attention of readers to an image or potentially to a text box which is referred to in an article; to duplicate the meaning given in a text.