This article aims to disclose the communicative essence of English media discourse and the specificity of the information transmitted, which is determined by both interrelated parties (i.e. media sources and readers) involved in this socially valid communicative process. English media discourse is examined in the British and American variants.

The three parts of media communication comprising the author, the addressee, and the information itself are actualized in media discourse articles in a very peculiar form of their interconnection. The media orientation towards the addressee, i.e. the British and American public, leads to the articles being not only linguistically adapted, but also thematically focused on information which is habitual and even desirable for each of the said communities. The author often acts as a moderator who stays, figuratively speaking, behind the scenes, and merely regulates or verbalizes the information communicated by various representatives of the nations regarded as his or her full-fledged co-authors. The article also considers the gender aspect of media communications where male and female issues bear their respective linguistic and thematic features. The emotional colouring of the transmitted information turns out to be another specific point of the English media discourse that appeals to the British and American public through the use of certain linguistic means. The authors conclude that from the national identity-related perspective English media communication may be characterized as an information field that incorporates issues of importance for both nations, renders them with the help of nationally adapted wording, and thus even forms a kind of “energy space.”

The present study aims to analyse the theory of ecotranslatology developed by the Chinese translator and theorist Hu Gengshen. The authors pay great attention to the application of its basic principles to teaching translation in general, and to the development of translation skills of Chinese students in particular. The main research methods are descriptive and comparative analysis, the systematization of language material, contextual analysis, and component analysis. In the course of the study, an experiment was conducted in which more than 30 Chinese students took part. Authentic texts of works of Russian fiction were used for the study. By analysing the examples of the translation of the works of A. P. Chekhov and N. A. Taffy into Chinese, the authors of this article demonstrate the main difficulties encountered in the practice of translation. A number of recommendations are given to help Chinese students develop translation skills from Russian into Chinese. In their conclusions, the authors point out that when teaching translation, it is necessary to draw students’ attention to the careful study of scientific works on the theory of translation, develop a sense of language, expand their working vocabulary so as not to lose the emotional colouring of the work in the process of translation, and remember that the study of phraseological units is a cognitive process.

The purpose of the paper is to give an overview of phraseological means incorporating ethnic allusions in the framework of the Spanish world model as a whole, and in professional activities in particular. The author proceeds from the premise that the professional education of participants in international processes should attach critical importance to the awareness of the nation’s associative thinking, especially as it relates to ethnic stereotypes, for ensuring successful interethnic relationships. The Spanish perception of their own national character, as well as that of other nations, is exemplified by numerous ethnically coloured phraseological units. Special attention is paid to ethnically orientated idioms referring to various professional activities. The author also considers the historical basis of the motivations behind ethnic allusions in Spanish phraseology, and the semantic and evaluative features of the phraseological units in question.

The following conclusions are made:

• ethnically related allusions in the Spanish phraseological world model are distinguished by specific images and stereotypes which are determined by the historical and cultural experience of native speakers;
• in terms of structural modes, phraseological units with ethnonyms follow the universal patterns of set phrases ranging from word combinations to complete sentences;
• the evaluative connotations of such units do not always allow us to reliably judge the national and ethnic stereotypes as such; many ethnically coloured images in Spanish idioms appear paradoxical, rather than reflecting the stereotyples that have developed due to objective reasons.

This article analyses the influence of the processes of globalization and regionalism on the sociolinguistic situation of minority languages that obtain a special value as the sole and main depositories of the national culture. As national minorities begin to claim their linguistic rights, the international community addresses the problem at all levels: the EU level, national and regional. The article examines the linguistic situation in Spain, which preserves and promotes regional and minority languages better than almost any other European country, and that in Catalonia, where the most intense focus of linguistic tension in the EU is currently observed. Our analysis of the current state of co-official and minority languages in Spain shows that the struggle for these languages has been won. The country's linguistic policy has been fruitful, but, at the same time, it has produced a series of dangerous consequences for the stability and integrity of the Spanish state itself. Now Spain must undertake the difficult task of preserving itself. The progressive weakening of the strong ties that previously held the Spanish state together, the erosion of the concept of the sovereign national state, and the delegation of the leading public powers to a supranational structure have given a solid boost for nationalism and reactivated the Catalan independence movement. Therefore, today the State language policy, which is of special importance, must be highly balanced and guided by established long-term national interests.

This article is devoted to dynamic transformational processes within contemporary English mini-texts (small-format texts). The paper reflects the findings of research that encompasses 500 advertising blurbs to works of fiction. Transformational dynamics is disclosed in terms of linguosynergetics based on a dynamic and systemic representation of evolutionary developments in blurb discourse. In particular, the conventional invariant discourse features are considered; non-systemic stochastic elements are revealed in such texts; and the ability of blurb discourse to generate meaning that exceeds the sum total of the meaning of the text units, i.e. functional synergism, is under analysis. The authors argue that fluctuations are observed on the lexical, structural and contextual levels of text organization. The analysis of the data obtained leads to the conclusion that the system features of book blurbs are currently undergoing a transformation of their pragmasemantic parameters, which are moving towards those of purely advertising discourse. Today’s trend towards the reduction of the volume of verbal communication shows that the prospect for further investigation of mini-texts (including book blurb discourse) lies in the elaboration of the pragmasemantic synergism concept, with the feature of this discourse being of special significance to texts aimed at conveying the maximum possible information in as few words as possible. 

Abstract. This article highlights some aspects of modern political communication in Germany. Various linguistic and extralinguistic factors determine the relevance of the problem. The main purpose of the article is to look at the sphere of “language and politics” from the point of view of their interrelation, to demonstrate the power that the language of politics has over public opinion and the political situation in the country. To this end, the article describes the language of politics in terms of political linguistics, offers a classification of political vocabulary, and characterizes word–symbols, such as Liberty, Safety, Democracy and Terrorism as a reasonable way of expression and differentiation between words and political content. It is noted that political communication as an ideological discourse is aimed at the fight for power, while the main task of the language of politics is the fight for vocabulary, which ultimately is the fight for voters. The desire to influence the political preferences of voters in conditions of a worsening migration crisis in Germany dictates the need to consciously choose one’s words: positive words-banners, such as Peace, Fairness and Safety, to increase the importance of their position in public opinion, or to mobilize their own supporters; or negative words-labels, such as Terrorist, Islamist and Extremism, to reduce the importance of the position of the enemy or verbally attack one’s political opponent. Through the example of actual concepts of migration discourse, namely welcome culture, leading culture, farewell culture, the article examines the strategies and tactics through which political communication is a struggle for vocabulary, thus showing the correlation of language and policy.

This article examines the Soviet project of engineering psychology developed by Boris Lomov. Its origins, which can be traced back to Lomov’s book Man and Technology, and the subsequent practical development and implementation of its ideas are analysed. The central emphasis of the paper is on the ways in which this special Soviet project was positioned in the context of the key trends that marked the development in the humanities in the 1960s, as well as on its specific features within the Soviet scientific culture. Engineering psychology, championed in the USSR by Lomov, followed the impetus of man-machine systems that had been pioneered in the United States in the 1940s. The conceptualization of this scientific industry emerged in the design of hi-tech military systems that were controlled both by the operator’s actions and by automatic control systems. The infusion of psychological approaches into the evolution of such systems was predetermined by the fact that the new defence technologies were operating at a greatly increased speed, thus rendering even marginal psychological factors significant. But the psychological aspect of these issues had not been given the necessary attention in the exiting models. In order to transform engineering psychology into a civil discipline, it was necessary to find a field to apply it to, as well as to not lose its far-reaching character and scale and generate demand for it. As a model for solving this problem in the American context, the experience of Alphonse Chapanis, who sought to realize the potential of engineering psychology in the widest possible number of industries, is considered. The book Man and Technology suggests that Lomov viewed this pattern of scientific culture as a benchmark. However, the implementation of a similar approach in the Soviet scientific culture and institutional area required different organizational solutions. These circumstances meant that the project of engineering psychology, originally leaning towards applied research, was implemented on the basis of the Institute of Psychology of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union.

The development of information and communication technologies and the formation of the global information society give rise to the study of new directions in the evolution of diplomatic practice in the digital environment, including in the context of intercultural communication. The modern information revolution is characterized by the widespread and ever-growing use of social networks, blogs, wiki resources and other media platforms (labelled under the common term of Web 2.0 technologies). At the same time, the widespread use of Web 2.0 technologies and the increasing amount of time people all over the world spend there has a broad and profound impact on political and intercultural communication and diplomatic practice. A new phenomenon of digital diplomacy is gaining prominence among the foreign policy tools of states and international organizations. Digital diplomacy can be defined as the use of social networks and Web 2.0 technologies in public diplomacy and international interaction by states and international organizations to achieve foreign policy goals and reach foreign audiences. According to the traditional view of digital diplomacy, which has developed in the academic literature, and is reflected in the works of authors such as Manuel Castells and Joseph. Nye, it helps to strengthen network ties at the level of civil societies in different countries and thus reduces international conflicts. However, cultural differences and digital polarization can impede the potential of digital diplomacy. Today, almost all states and international organizations in the global arena are involved in the practice of digital diplomacy, and Russia is no exception. Russia actively participates in digital diplomacy by using social media and Web 2.0 tools as soft power instruments to introduce and explain foreign policy initiatives and reach foreign and domestic audiences, as stated in the 2016 Doctrine of Information Security of Russian Federation. For Russia’s foreign policy, relations with the EU countries and institutions are of particular importance, including in the digital sphere. However, even though both Russia and the EU countries make extensive use of digital diplomacy tools, the practice of horizontal network interaction mediated by digital technologies does not contribute to strengthening trust between countries and reducing conflicts. The authors consider incidents and allegations in the sphere of digital interaction and, based on the theory of digital polarization, conclude that the use of digital tools in horizontal interactions within digital diplomacy exacerbates intercultural differences between countries and increases conflict instead of improving mutual understanding.

This paper examines storytelling as a technology of teaching foreign languages with the help of fascinating stories in the inclusive environment. The relevance of developing inclusive education, i.e. integrating students with different individual characteristics (in particular, disabilities) into the learning process, is highlighted. In this regard, the concept of cognitive learning styles and Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences are characterized as not quite suitable for the role of a general foundation of language teaching methodology in an inclusive classroom. Krashen’s Monitor Model, in its turn, is adopted as the theoretical basis of the modern approach to second language acquisition, emphasizing the importance of comprehensible input (received speech material) and emotional filter (psychological barrier) as key factors in the development of speech competence. In light of this, the advantages of a multisensory approach to language learning, and, in particular, the inclusive potential of using multisensory stories and having students create their own stories with the support of a teacher (storybuilding), are clarified. Thus, storytelling is considered by the authors of the article as a universal method for developing both receptive and productive speech skills in a foreign language for all kinds of students, including children with disabilities. The paper contains methodological recommendations regarding the implementation of storytelling technology in an inclusive classroom, including the conditions for effective assimilation of educational material by students with special educational needs. The principles of scaffolding (teacher support), mutual cooperation, clarity of instructions, sequence of material presentation, individualized information delivery forms, emotional involvement and integration are also explained. Based on the research literature on psychology, inclusive pedagogy and language education (Vygotsky, Rubinstein, Asher, Krashen), as well as some case studies featuring diverse students with varying disabilities, the authors argue for the need to gradually shift from skill-building to implicit teaching (and learning).

This paper argues that if the COVID-19 pandemic turns out to be a man-made risk (А. Giddens), i.e. an unforeseen consequence of a person's behavior and actions, then, in order to avoid such fatal contingencies that occur so unexpectedly, it is necessary to change the type of behavior and actions that have been established in the culture of the Modern Period. People have been forced to observe the spatial order during the pandemic. Social distancing, self-isolation, the Red Zone, and other spatial limitations have made people aware of the deficit of presence and the lack of independent, active participation in life. On the one hand, the novel coronavirus has returned us to an awareness of the biological, natural origin of human existence, which has been forgotten by culture (science). On the other hand, the practices of social rationing and restriction have revealed the influence of various forms of alienation – social, political, economic, and cultural – on the fate of each individual. Introducing the bio-principle (the virus) into the social, cultural, and political space radically changes the relationship between people and nature. This situation forces us to contemplate the meaning of the concept of culture, which received its definition in the 18^th century and is understood as non-nature, as reflected in the formula culture versus nature. This paper shows that the cultural ideal of human activity, established in modern times, is the reason behind the alienation of technogenic civilization and social forms of life from nature. By destroying nature and turning it into material for people's various techne, people found themselves in conflict with their own life. Culture has lost its inner meaning of the presence of the world and of an individual, which dissolved in various interpretations and ideas. Contemporary history is moving towards establishing a culture of presence, where the world is viewed not as a mere material to be used but as an area for humans to engage with. Today, we see the assertion of the right to difference and the right to the presence of diversity – in nature, culture, and politics (the struggle for a multipolar world) and in the personal domain (selfies, blogs, chats, etc.).

In the increasingly entangled, interdependent, and digital world, religion is still of utmost importance, and for some societies worldwide, it plays a critical role. The new reality poses novel challenges: the issues we face today call for an investigation into current trends in the dialogue of religions. In this way, followers of various religions willing to cooperate to solve major problems of religious diversity would have reference points with which to compare themselves. Regarding the goals and objectives of social development, the conceptual foundations and the most effective strategies for inter-religious dialogue and communication need to be studied. This objective can best be served by conducting a case study of inter-religious contacts and the most recent trends in this area. This paper is devoted to studying the experience of a global inter-religious dialogue, the so-called religion of peace phenomenon, which emphasizes peace and prosperity. One of the most common practices of the religion of peace is joint prayers of members of different religions, which has entered the agenda of international forums on religion. An important source of information for the study was the author's first-hand experience participating in inter-religious events, including the 10th World Assembly of Religions for Peace – the largest inter-religious organization in the world – in Lindau, Germany, 2019. Four main types of interreligious dialogue are described – polemical, cognitive, peacemaking, and partnership. It is noted that partnership and peacemaking dominate modern intercultural dialogue: helping the underprivileged, maintaining moral values and justice, integrating migrants, protecting the environment, etc. At the same time, the significance of polemical and cognitive (theological) types fades. Thus, the author concludes that intercultural dialogue is becoming a tool for the increasingly peaceful coexistence of religions as social institutions and therefore increases their positive social influence.

The problem of religious tolerance is becoming increasingly relevant both for the Russian Federation and the modern world as a whole, since not only the media, but also academic publications inform us almost every day about conflicts between religious communities on a local and global scale. This article examines a number of new aspects of the phenomenon of religious tolerance that are revealed when it is described as an autopoiesis of a specific intercultural communicative discourse. This specific discourse is explicitly presented in the texts of the 19^th century and later that are included in the database of the academic linguistic resource National Corpus of the Russian Language. The texts manifest special forms of implicit tolerance, which is created, developed and transformed in the global context of intercultural communication, which seeks to distribute the true (“genuine,” “normative”) and superstitious (“false,” “forbidden”). Starting with the most ancient texts, superstitious is intended to mark the difference between the permissible (“tolerable,” “ridiculed”) and the unconditionally forbidden (“dangerous,” “intolerable”). The development of communication from the most ancient face-to-face communication to written forms in urban cultures and mass media images of global reality contributes to the formation of an imperial understanding of local features in modern culture. A number of texts from the Russian history of the 19^th century show us in detail the development of discourse of tolerance in a dialectic with the discourse of intolerance. This much is evident from the era of the creation of the Holly Alliance by Alexander I, in which Orthodox Christians, Catholics and Lutherans were proclaimed one Christian people, to the protective triad of Uvarov and national romanticism, which sought not only to distance itself from everything different, but also to enter into a multifaceted intercultural dialogue. This development placed issues concerning true and superstition within the framework of the science of religion that was emerging at the same time. The methodological basis for the description of the material is Niklas Luhmann’s perspective concept, which allows us to consider true and superstitious as distinctions that are formed in the process of autopoiesis of religion as a social subsystem. Special attention is paid to some historical moments of the formation of the prerequisites for the religious policy of the Russian Empire in the 19^th century, formed in the era of the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian state, where some aspects of the phenomenon are highlighted, which can be designated as proto-imperial religious tolerance.