The conceptualisation of lie in contemporary English texts

Abstract

The study aims to reconstruct the linguistic-cultural image of the cultural concept of lie entrenched in contemporary English texts. The research is conducted within the S-Q-T methodology proposed by the Ethnolinguistic School of Lublin. The analysis was carried out by distinguishing semantic aspects of the concept of lie in textual data, interpreting them, and grouping them into semantic profiles. The data consist of the contexts selected from the British National Corpus (BNC), the media corpus News on the Web (NOW), and independently selected texts retrieved from the press and the Internet. The research shows that lie in contemporary English texts is primarily seen from the political perspective where it is closely associated with post-truth. The texts also reveal numerous profiles of lie and its ambiguous axiological assessment. Although in general it is considered unethical, morally unacceptable and axiologically negative, lying is also seen as a necessary element of social life and an integral aspect of politics.