Horoscope in the media space: a linguocommunicative aspect

Abstract

The article considers the phenomenon of horoscopic text relevant to modern linguistics in general and analyzes it as a type of speech genre in particular. The article argues that the horoscopic text, functioning in the media space, is a cluster integrative unit created under the influence of a number of extralinguistic factors, which is directly reflected both in the linguistic means used in horoscopes and in their structural organization. The ubiquitous digitalization of the information space causes a reduction of a predictive text’s volume and brings it closer to media genres. The proof that the horoscope is a separate speech genre is the regular use of a certain set of speech acts in its texts, which make up the formula of the genre, while the range of relevant speech acts gets limited by this formula. As a result of our analysis of three hundred horoscope texts, we found that two types of a regularly used speech act can be distinguished in their structure, or two basic components of the media horoscope structure. The first component, implemented in a proposition, is represented by an assertive; the second part, perceived as a recommendation, is represented in the form of a directive of various types. We consider that assertives can be divided into informative and evaluative; directives are verbalized by means of prescriptive and motivational varieties, phraseoreflections, promptings with a forecast, permissions and suggestions. Each type of a speech act is verbalized through a certain set of lexical and grammatical means of the language strengthening the communicative position of the author.