Štýlové presahy v náboženskej publicistike
Stylistic overlaps in religious journalism

Summary/Abstract: There are several remarkable overlaps of exogenous styles that can be observed in the intersecting area of the newspaper-journalism style and the religious style. Such overlaps mainly include rhetorical, educational, official, or even biblical style, if we are to consider this sub-style of the religious style separately. According to the currently prevailing theory of journalism, the newspaper language should reflect the living language of the society and the author of the newspaper text should stay ‘on the sidelines’ and place himself or herself in a level playing field with the receiver. However, this principle is often eroded by the rhetorical pathos which includes inter alia paean or evaluating expressions. Rhetorical figures, comparative and superlative forms of adjectives, adjective phrases, euphemisms, or biblical quotations can be found even in the news coverage – something, which contradicts the basic principles of impartiality and objectivity. On one hand, it may be admitted that such features are irreplaceable and that they represent typical manifestations of religious vocabulary, however, one also has to admit that it has always been desirable to professionalize the church journalists and educate them, particularly in the area of effectiveness and thrift. Admittedly, the official and educational style permeate religious journalism because of their essential functional kinship with the religious style. This pattern can be observed especially in the use of the preacher’s approach or didactic approach, as well as in efforts to comply with the administrative and legal regulations through purposeful application of material expressions and genres of non-journalistic scope and layout. The usual trichotomous division of texts into introduction, body and conclusion, is typical not only in reflective texts, but also, and more often, in news coverage, where such structures severely contrast with the modern pyramid approach. Moreover, the religious newspaper texts are often marked by a lack of authenticity and residues of translation. Within the field of journalism, this is not only regarded as disturbing, but it also downgrades the effectiveness of the text in terms of the performance of its basic functions. The expressions and layers of biblical language contained in the religious style comprise direct or literal quotations, paraphrases, allusions, stylistic peculiarities, use of figurative language of the ancient Middle East, general biblical idioms or specific statements of Jesus. Such means of expression however lead to automation and formularization of the religious style. They often work as secret codes intended only to those who know the ‘language’ of the Bible, or sometimes just the wording of a specific translation of the Bible. Thus, the use of such structures may ultimately lead not only to broadening, but also narrowing of the effect of the text. Therefore, the use of biblical quotations in newspaper texts aimed at diverse audience

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