Pragmatic Aspects of Quotation in Spanish Media Texts

This paper examines the pragmatic functions of citation specific to the Spanish media texts. The texts for analysis were chosen among the so-called national quality press, including El País, El Mundo, and ABC 2014-2016. The study combined the interpretive text analysis and elements of the comparative and contextual analyses. The role of mass media in molding public opinion, and as one of the most powerful instruments of social control cannot be overemphasized. In addition to awareness-raising and influence functions, citation is widely used in media text to bring more credibility and expressiveness to the transmitted information. Presumably, all texts cited in media can be divided into two categories. On the one hand, these are texts that are socially significant and relevant at a specific point in time, and on the other hand, these are so-called precedent texts repeatedly reproduced within a given community. Based on the analyzed material the following three key pragmatic functions can be distinguished: substitution, illustration and reasoning which allows to make both direct and indirect quotation, that differ graphically in terms of the presence or absence of quotation marks, the object of study. Characteristics specific to the implicit citation are treated separately where implicit citation covers the citation of precedent texts used primarily for language game, and thus performs stylistic and advertising functions. The accomplished analysis of the citation pragmatic aspects of Spanish press brings clarity to some of the mechanisms used to impact the reader and shape public opinion.

quotation, reported speech, Spanish-language press, media text, pragmatic functions of media text