LINGUISTIC AND STYLISTIC DEVICES OF REPRESENTING U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES IN THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE MEDIA

Abstract

The article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of linguistic and stylistic devices used to represent U.S. presidential candidates in contemporary English-language media discourse during the 2024 election campaign. The research is based on the analysis of publications from leading American media outlets: The New York Times, Fox News, and USA Today, which represent different political orientations and approaches to covering political events. The authors examine in detail the mechanisms of forming the public image of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris through the lens of linguostylistic strategies of influencing mass consciousness. Special attention is paid to the analysis of key linguistic tools: metaphors, emotionally coloured vocabulary, allusions, contrasting constructions, rhetorical questions, epithets, and hyperbole, which play a decisive role in creating positive or negative assessments of political figures. The research demonstrates how different media platforms use specific linguistic strategies to construct political reality. The New York Times employs critical rhetoric using legal-political terminology in a negative context, creating Trump's image as a threat to democracy. Fox News, conversely, uses laudatory narrative, positioning Trump as a strong leader through hyperbolization and emotional intensity. USA Today demonstrates a more balanced approach, focusing on emotional resonance and public sentiments. The authors emphasize the role of framing and emotional tone in shaping the perception of a leader as "one of us" or "one of them," "honest" or "dangerous," particularly in the context of political polarization and information warfare. It has been proven that media texts are not neutral transmitters of information but act as powerful means of constructing political narratives and manipulating public opinion. The research results are of significant importance for understanding contemporary mechanisms of political communication and the formation of electoral preferences in democratic societies. The work contributes to the development of critical thinking regarding media content and emphasizes the necessity of a conscious approach to consuming political information.