Synchronism and diachronism of antique origin idioms in the English language media discourse

The article examines the semantics of idioms of antique origin in media discourse from the standpoint of synchrony and diachrony. The study of media discourse as a phenomenon of language and as an extralinguistic entity enables us to consider it using methods of cognitive and discourse analyses. Phraseological units as inherent elements of mediatexts have a powerful connotative (evaluative) potential at the synchronic level that is identified by referring to the source of the expression at the diachronic level. Cognitive analysis determines the evaluative potential in the semantics of idioms associated with subjective modalities. Axiological modality represents rational (positive or negative) evaluation of real situations. Emotive modality embraces the whole range of emotions (condemnation, approval, admiration, disapproval). Deontic modality relates to the system of norms that regulate the behavior of people in the society. Being originally precedent phenomena, phraseological units of antique origin store in their semantics a considerable volume of information about the events of past epochs, about the value system of the ancient world. The study of idioms of antique origin as a synchronous unit does not give a complete idea of its modern meaning. The combination of cognitive analysis method that examines the synchronic semantics of the phraseological unit from the position of diachronic approach, and discourse analysis method, which takes into account the extralinguistic situation, can determine the actual sense and connotative potential of the idiom of antique origin in the mediatext.