A Type of Mindsets on “THAI” Constructed through Linguistic Strategies in Russian Newspapers: A Case Study of “Izvestia” and “Komsomolskaya Pravda”

Abstract

This research is a critical analysis of mindsets on “THAI” in Russian newspapers, including “Izvestia” and “Komsomolskaya Pravda”. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was used as an approach to study in this research. The objectives of the research are threefold: 1) to examine texts in term of mindsets on “THAI” as constructed through linguistic strategies; 2) to examine discourse practices, i.e., text production and consumption of mentioned newspapers; and 3) to examine socio-cultural practices that affect mindsets on “THAI”. The results show that texts in the following newspapers offer some mindsets on “THAI”. There were five types of mindsets found: “There were political conflicts in Thailand,” “There were social problems in Thailand,” “There were risks for Russians travelling in Thailand,” “Thai culture is unique,” and “Thai culture can be represented as value products.”  These mindsets were identified through linguistic strategies such as lexical usage, loanwords from Thai, metaphor, modality, presupposition, reference, and reasoning. “Izvestia” and “Komsomolskaya Pravda” are daily newspapers which are published in both the online and print versions and in which local and international news of politics, economy and society are represented. Target audiences for these newspapers are Russian stable-working-class people aged 45 and older. The influences that affect these types of mindsets on “THAI” are the tourism and culture policy of Thailand, Thailand travel for Russians, Thai cultural movement in Russia and social and political problems in Thailand.