SPECIFICITY OF MODERN POLITICAL COMMUNICATION IN GERMANY: FIGHT FOR LEXICON

Abstract

The 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 of the language of politics on public opinion and on the political situation in the country. To this end, the article describes the language of politics within the terms of political linguistics, offers a classification of political vocabulary, and characterizes the word-symbols, such as Liberty, Safety, Democracy, 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 the voter. The desire to influence the political preferences of voters in conditions of aggravation of the migration crisis in Germany dictates the need to consciously choose the words: to increase the importance of their position in public opinion or to mobilize their own supporters, use positive words-banners, such as Peace, Fairness and Safety. To reduce the importance of the position of the enemy or verbally attack his political opponent, use negative words-labels, such as Terrorist, Islamist and Extremism. On the example of actual concepts of migration discourse 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.