Means of Verbal Representation of the Image of the Elderly in Russian Online Texts

The subject of this study is the linguistic means and specific features of the verbal representation of the image of the elderly in Russian online discourse, as well as the characteristics of their functioning in the context of digital communication. The research analyzes neutral vocabulary, euphemisms, metaphorical images, and expressive vocabulary through which the perception of the elderly is constructed in the online environment. Particular attention is paid to the correlation of these linguistic units with the features of the Russian linguistic mentality, traditional cultural ideas about old age, and contemporary social processes. The subject of the study includes examining semantic shifts in the nomination of the elderly, manifestations of gerontological ageism, and the ambivalence of attitudes towards the older generation, as reflected in the vocabulary and discursive practices of Russian Internet users. The work employs contextual, lexico-semantic, and componential analysis. The study is based on materials from Russian-language online texts, including news sites and comments on social networks. The scientific novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive study of the verbal representation of the image of the elderly in Russian online discourse, taking into account the interrelationship between linguistic mentality, traditional cultural perceptions of old age, and modern social trends. The research identified and analyzed the linguistic means that shape the perception of the elderly in Russian online discourse, as well as their connection to the cultural and linguistic characteristics of Russian society. The study showed that the image of the elderly in the online environment forms a complex, multi-layered, and multi-stylistic system of linguistic expressions, encompassing neutral vocabulary, euphemisms, metaphors, and negatively charged vocabulary reflecting gerontological ageism. These results confirm that the attitude towards old age and representatives of the older generation is a vivid manifestation of the Russian linguistic mentality, and online discourse serves as an important medium through which the deep-seated values of Russian culture concerning old age, as well as contemporary social changes, are reflected.