Pragmatic Multifunctionality оf Citation in the Mediated Memory Discourse

The article presents the results of a study on the mediated news discourse about the events and figures of the Great Patriotic War (GPW), shaped by the ongoing mediatization and digitalization of the information environment, the passing of the eyewitness generations, and the rise of national narratives about the past of the countries involved in the Second World War. The research aims to identify correlations between the thematic content of the mediated news discourse related to GPW memory and the pragmatic functions expressed through citations within this discourse type. The practical material – 1,534 news messages, collected through purposive sampling in 2024 – 2025 via the principal national news portal, Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA). These news reports both actualize GPW memory and structurally incorporate citations. Through discourse, componential, and quantitative analyses, a correlation between themes of news about GPW and citation types was revealed. For the genocide of Belarusians, fact-based citations predominate; persuasive-argumentative citations are prevalent in conveying societal consolidation grounded in GPW memory; suggestive citations dominate discussions on historical truth; while military-patriotic tourism, memorial sites, and commemorative practices combine frequent use of evaluative-expressive and referential citations. The research emphasizes pragmatic multifunctionality of citation within the mediated news discourse about the memory of GPW. The novelty of the study lies in demonstrating citation as a tool to disseminate official narratives, transform individual GPW perceptions and knowledge into collective ones, and tailor citation types to news discourse themes. The findings hold practical value for research in internet communication and mediated memory discourse.