USE OF CULTURAL KEYWORDS IN ARGUMENTATION

This research examines culture-specific linguistic units known as cultural keywords, exploring their role in explaining one culture to another, conveying cultural norms, and shaping a culture’s image. These keywords often carry connotative meanings that go beyond dictionary definitions and reflect a nation’s history, values, and evolving identity. As expressions of widely accepted beliefs, cultural keywords influence how audiences perceive and accept ideas. In argumentation theory, they serve as key tools for constructing arguments, frequently functioning as the terminus medius – the middle term in a syllogism that conveys an unstated but commonly accepted belief, or endoxon. This study reviews existing scholarship on the argumentative use of cultural keywords, employing the pragma-dialectical approach and the Argumentum Model of Topics. The findings show that such keywords strengthen standpoints and enhance persuasive communication. These insights can inform strategies for using cultural references effectively in argumentation, leading to more culturally resonant and persuasive discourse. Keywords: cultural linguistics, cultural keyword, intercultural communication, argumentation, argumentative analysis.