ALRJournal. 2021; 5(4): 8-16 | DOI: 10.14744/alrj.2020.66933

Ad-hoc lexical units as markers of communicative strategies in the TV-series “Sex and the City”

Diana Haydanka¹, Vira Nikonova^2
1Department Of English Philology, Uzhhorod National University, Uzhhorod, Ukraine
²Department Of English And German Philology And Translation Studies, Kyiv National Linguistic University, Kyiv, Ukraine

The paper aims at elucidating manipulative potential of ad-hoc word-formation the TV-series through the prism of linguocognitive and pragmatic approaches. The prospects of identifying communicative strategies that underlie ad-hoc words in the dramedy lay grounds to contemplating their role as markers of the manipulative impact optimisation. The paper proposes to elucidate the role of various word-building types of ad-hoc units in construing memorable characters that the viewing audience can identify with by means of the integrated linguocognitive and communicative analysis. Given that the telecinematic discourse presents a complex multimodal unity, operating at two levels: diegetic and extradiegetic, the author argues that ad-hoc units realize communicative strategies of self-presentation and characterisation at both in-film and through-film levels, correlating with the two key functions of dramedy: attraction and manipulation. Various word-building types of ad-hoc units that serve as markers of the self-presentation strategy help the mainly female characters express themselves, at the same time with the collective author construing an image of a charismatic and independent thirty-something heroine. Ad-hoc units that realise the characterisation strategy are mainly used in witty friendly banters (diegetic level) to highlight stereotypical relationships problems.

Keywords: Ad-hoc word-formation, Telecinematic discourse, Communicative strategy, Communicative tactic, Communicative technique

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