Author Information
Simona Fraštíková, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, SlovakiaAbstract
The study analyzes the language strategy employed by conspiracy theorists, specifically the concept of “mirroring.” This involves adopting the linguistic strategies of their opponents to explain events, while usually reversing the key positions. Such attacks serve both as a form of counteroffensive and as an attempt to focus attention on the opponent while reinforcing the credibility of their own shared content. This linguistic strategy is examined in German and Slovak conspiracy discourse, using examples from digital journalistic texts and (multimodal) texts disseminated online. The aim is to highlight a strategy that contributes to the growing popularity and spread of conspiracy theories, thereby fostering greater polarization in society. Methodologically, the study draws on corpus linguistics tools while also integrating a contextual approach necessary for understanding the strategy and interpreting its content.
Paper Information
Conference: KAMC2025Stream: Language and Cultural Studies
This paper is part of the KAMC2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
Full Paper
View / Download the full paper in a new tab/window
To cite this article:
Fraštíková S. (2026) Mirroring as a Linguistic Strategy of Discrediting the Opponent ISSN: 2436-0503 – The Kyoto Conference on Arts, Media & Culture 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 255-273) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2436-0503.2025.23
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2436-0503.2025.23
Comments
Powered by WP LinkPress