Expression of Animosity and Disparagement in Internet-Memes as Humorous Creolized Texts

The article discusses verbalization of the meaning of terms ”animosity” and “disparagement” in creolized texts of humorous nature through case-study of Internet-memes. The article explains the meaning of notions ”animosity” and “disparagement” in terms of their legal understanding in the Russian law and in the scope of forensic linguistics. Particular qualities of Internet-memes as creolized texts are described: specific features of verbal elements (intertextuality, rhyme) and non-verbal elements (icons, indexes, symbols), means of creating a comic effect (grotesque, metaphor, antithesis), as well as the presence of at least two illocutionary goals: to cause laughter and to inform a recipient about negative qualities of a certain group of individuals. The article describes linguistic manifestations of the meaning ‘’animosity’’(a negative portrayal of qualities or behavior of a group of individuals or its representatives, describing them as posing a threat, approval of unlawful or violent actions against them) and “disparagement” (assertion of “inferiority’’ of a group of individuals, who are considered to be “the others’’). Apart from that, the degree of verbalization of these negative components of meaning is considered. The article provides conclusions about the specifics of linguistic analyses of such texts, outlines topics for further research.