Valuation statements as an important aspect of videoblog discourse on the example of the “Stanowo” crime channel Cover Image

Wypowiedzi wartościujące jako istotny aspekt dyskursu wideoblogowego na przykładzie kanału „Stanowo” o tematyce kryminalnej
Valuation statements as an important aspect of videoblog discourse on the example of the “Stanowo” crime channel

Author(s): Ewa Gorlewska
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Applied Linguistics, Sociolinguistics
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku
Keywords: videoblog; valuation in language; true crime; discourse; language on the Internet

Summary/Abstract: The subject of the paper is valuation statements present in videoblog discourse. The material is based on audiovisual recordings broadcast on the “Stanowo” channel. The aim of the analysis is to explore the way in which judgements are expressed that relate crime seen as a sensitive aspect of social life. It has been shown that the author rarely uses messages marked axiologically in her material. Her priority is to present facts accurately rather than to make judgements. Statements involving valuation of facts do appear in her statements, especially in those in which the author manifests her emotional involvement in the story. This leads to a conclusion that there is a close relationship between expressiveness and valuing, as revealed in the material studied. Irony, contrasting and comparisons are the most common linguistic tool used by the author to express value judgements. The use on names is a metaphorical sense also plays an important role. Three pillars of the stories presented are assessed: the event itself and its circumstances, the victim and the perpetrator. It has been shown that valuation of the facts discussed has two objectives: the presentation of personal positions, which facilitates the creation of a kind of sender-receiver relationship, and the release of tension generated by the absorption of information about violent events. In the conclusion it has been stated that the way reality is valued by a popular video blogger may cause her axiological perspective to be adopted especially by young, morally unformed viewers. Therefore, it should be regarded as positive that the author does not deviate from generally accepted patterns of assessing the behaviour of victims and perpetrators. On the other hand, the style of the presented valuation statements can be assessed negatively – the author uses colloquial style, however, this form of language is out of keeping with the solemnity of the events under discussion.

  • Issue Year: 2021
  • Issue No: 21
  • Page Range: 43-66
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Polish