Linguocognitive specifics of visual communication (based on material from German-language public social networks)
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The article examines the linguocognitive specifics of German-language visual communication within institutional and everyday contexts. The research material consists of fragments of authentic correspondence in German presented on public German-language social networks. The study employs elements of discourse and content analysis, as well as contextual and linguosemiotic analysis methods. The relevance of the research is determined by the objective need to study trends in the development of the German language amidst digital transformations and the integration of artificial intelligence; to establish the specifics of sociocultural interaction in professional spheres and everyday situations; and to identify the features of linguistic-creative activity among participants in visual communication. As a result of analyzing the empirical material in German, it was established that the virtual environment stimulates the development of inclusive communication, promotes an “iconic” shift in public social networks, facilitates the simplification of norms and rules in modern German, and supports network forms of communication in both everyday and institutional settings. Changes in language affect the cognitive sphere of participants in inclusive communication, which manifests itself in the careless use of lexical and grammatical means, the use of punctuation marks to express emotions and attitudes towards objects or phenomena of reality, violations of German spelling standards, and the leveling of the institutional status of participants in sociocultural interaction within the professional sphere. Thus, there is an intensive use of visual linguistics resources in German-language public social networks, enabling inclusive communication with minimal reliance on verbal language and maximum application of visualization tools without significant loss of content for members of socio-communicative groups.
Authors: Innara A. Guseynova, Alexey I. Gorozhanov
Institution: Moscow State Linguistic University
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7214540943