The theory and method of discourse analysis

The paper dwells on the theory and method of discourse analysis currently elaborated in Russian social, political and media studies. The light is shed upon the sources of the theory, the concepts and ideas important for its methodology. The material under study is modern global media discourse (the events in Libya, post-conflict resolution, protest discourse). The paper presents the original framework of linguistic analysis suggested by the author. This technique is singling out recurrent stereotypes of different linguistic nature (assessments, axiological vocabulary, trite metaphors, cliches, terms with broad and ambiguous semantics). Discussed below are also some typical rhetoric strategies recurrently used in modern mass media discourse.