Linguocognitive modeling of the "morality" concept in English-language media discourse

the article presents the results of a comprehensive linguocognitive analysis of the transformation of the "MORALITY" concept in the discourse of the modern English-language media space. The relevance of the study is determined by two main factors: firstly, the transition of moral discourse to the digital environment, where media not only reflect but also actively construct ethical norms and secondly, the modification of ways of verbalizing moral judgments under the influence of digital platforms, which have become the primary field for the formation and negotiation of value systems. A key result was the identification of a structural transformation of ethical concepts. A shift in the core of these concepts has been established from abstract binary oppositions to socially-oriented categories. New components have formed at the periphery: ambivalence (in complex television narratives) and performativity (in practices of virtual signaling). Significant changes in the collocational profile were identified, linguistic means were systematized, the emergence of new contexts for a range of ethical concepts was examined, and the linguocognitive structures of ethical concepts were analyzed. The conclusions of the study indicate a fundamental shift in moral discourse from normative ethics to a socio-performative model, where moral judgments become a tool for constructing identity and exercising power. The practical significance of the work lies in the potential application of its results for developing methodologies for the critical analysis of media discourse and for forecasting trends in public morality.

"MORALITY" concept, linguocognitive modeling, media discourse, critical discourse analysis, virtual signaling, corpus linguistics, English language