Functional paradigm of travel media-texts in English travel-journals

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Zaporizhia National Technical University

Functional paradigm of travel media-texts in English travel-journals

Yurii Polyezhayev Candidate of Sciences in Social Communications

The article analyzes the functional paradigm of travel-media texts, which are published at the pages of English- language travel journals. The definition of travel-media text is offered. The author highlights the attributive and modular features of travel-media texts. Informative, educational, communicative, entertaining and relaxating functions, specified for any travel-media text, were classified as attributive ones. Modular functions include utilitarian (or informative), nation-building and imahological, advertising, image-making functions.

Keywords: function, travel-journal, travel-media text, informative-educationalfunction, communicative function, entertaining-relaxation function, utilitarian function, nation-building and imaholohical function, advertising function, image-making function.

Юрій ПОЛЄЖАЄВ кандидат наук із соціальних комунікацій, Запорізький національний технічний університет

ФУНКЦІОНАЛЬНА ПАРАДИГМА ТРЕВЕЛ-МЕДІАТЕКСТІВ В АНГЛОМОВНИХ ТРЕВЕЛ-ЖУРНАЛАХ

У статті проаналізовано функціональну парадигму тревел-медіатекстів, що розміщені на шпальтах англомовних тревел-журналів. Запропоновано дефініцію тревел-медіатексту Автором виділено атрибутивні та модусні функції тревел-медіатекстів. До атрибутивних функцій віднесено інформативно-просвітницьку, комунікативну, розважально-релаксаційну, що властиві будь-якому тревел-медіатексту. До модусних функцій віднесено утилітарну, націєтворчу та імагологічну, рекламну, іміджеву

Ключові слова: функція, тревел-журнал, тревел-медіатекст, інформативно-просвітницька функція, комунікативна функція, розважально-релаксаційна функція, утилітарна функція, націєтворча та імагологічна функція, рекламна функція, іміджева функція.

Introduction

Formulation of the problem. In the present informational space the proportion of semantically determinative texts is increasing in terms of travel-content. This is due to a number of reasons. The change in the axiological priorities of ordinary consumers of information is to be called among the main ones, namely, their attitude to rest, the emergence of the so-called global middle class, which is capable of traveling, and the most diverse globalization processes are to appear. In the English-speaking world travelmedia texts have become an equal constituent part of the informational space even in the 50ths of last century and they are in constant genesis now. Today they are represented in the form of journalistic texts, PR and advertising materials, which often change themselves adapting to the needs of informational and communicational space. Travel media text (journalistic, advertising and PR ones) is a specific kind of intellectual and creative activity, focused on representing enomous spectrum of issues, related to traveling and tourism, and it is aimed at the implementation of a number of important socially significant functions. The priority of these or quite different functions is the main characteristic for each type of the text. At the same time the expansion of functional specifics, crowding out of those or other functions, changes in their priority are usually caused by external factors. Travel media texts, like all other media texts, are “polyfunctional objects, carriers of products not only journalistic activities, but also other types of social activity” [3]. At the same time, each text focuses on the implementation of dominant functions for themselves, depending on their own communicative strategy.

Analysis of recent research and publications. If the functional priorities of media texts were repeatedly considered by modern scholars, in particular V. Lyzanchuk [1], T. Naumenko [3], I. Penchuk [4], N. Filatov [7], etc. But the functions of travel-media texts were not studied enough. In order to create a stereoscopic vision of the functional paradigm of travel-media texts it is appropriate to implement the scientific experience of professionals in the field of travel journalism, namely, M. Damkjaer [9], T. Nunes [16], M. Pratt [17], R. Shrome [20], A. Waade [9].

Setting of the objectives. The purpose of this work is to develop a functional paradigm of travelmedia texts in modern English-language travel journals, represented in the global informational space. The setting of the objectives and solving of the following tasks are directed to achieve this goal. Firstly, this is a description of the main functions of media texts; and secondly, the detection of the functional priorities of travel-media texts.

Presenting main material

The background of basic material. It is proposed to accept the polycodal and multi-institutional type of journalistic media product in terms of the travel media text, where travel-content is the semantic determinant. It means that the thematic content of the certain text is aimed at represention of information about local attractiviness to the traveler and its constituents (flora, fauna, natural phenomena, artefacts) and the ethnic and cultural environment (its actants, practices, customs and traditions). The existence of modern English-speaking travel journals in the frame of various types of journalistics (lifestyles, entertainment, scientific, cognitive, service) and various discourses (ideological, nation-building, consumerism, environmental, intercultural communication) gives grounds to mention that the list of their functions will be transparent and rather specific one. Speaking about the discussion of the problem, related to the functions of media, the attraction of general philosophical ideas of scientists, as to the very concept of “function”, seems to be quite productive one. According to philosophical definition [6, p. 636], the function in social sciences is “a role performed by different processes and structures to maintain the integrity and stability of the systems they are part of' [6, p. 636]. In other words, it is the role of one object in relation to another one, roleplaying “appointment” of a structural element in the system [8].

At the same time, according to V. Feofanov, “the processes taking place in each system of social activity are ultimately determined by the fact that it carries out a certain function in the broader sense. This function acts as an external necessity, as the factor that determines this system of activity” [5, p. 165]. Considering such general philosophical understanding of the concept of function and taking into account the achievements of modern science on the functions of the media, we have identified a list of functions of travel logs. We can't but mention that it was taken into account the indisputable fact that travel journals, to a certain extent, are in two different qualitative systems: the media system and the tourism system. One of the most important functions of the travel journals are informative and educational ones, which provide publications in order to acquaint their readers with interesting destinations and natural local environment, foreign traditions and historical monuments, attractive routes for traveling, helping to expand horizons and enrich the general cultural erudition. It is worth mentioning that travel issues do not only publish materials that promote the overall erudition and the intellectual and cultural level of recipients, but also represent useful information related to the activities of certain travel agencies, specific tourist destinations, specific conventions (behavioral, racial genderal, religious, ethnic) typical for a particular region. The combination of an informative very start with an educational one (it can still be called a cultural and educational one) is a remarkable characteristic for travel journalism, determined by its above-mentioned binary status. Another function of travel journals is entertainment and relaxation, which consists of oriention of their content in order to provide the potential reader with emotional, aesthetic, intellectual satisfaction. For example, most travel logs actively use visual components (spectacular photos, fonts, color scheme, etc.), which are designed to produce positive impression, to form the author's attitude towards verbally represented information through the intensification of emotional and psychological elements. The implementation of this function largely contributes to the actualization of literary abilities of the journalist and it depends on his skill to introduce the material, on his skills of the effective representation of travel-content as an exciting narrative (this involves the originality of the author's narrative manner, the wealth of expressive means, etc.). It depends, to a large extent, on the ability of travel text entertainment of the reader and gives him emotional and psychological satisfaction. An important function of travel journals is also communicative one. Nobody can deny that these editions help to establish intercultural dialogue. As F. Hanusch stated that “travel journalism, as a rule, assumes the role of mediator in the dialogue of cultures, and it is precisely because of it that foreign culture begins to be perceived by the recipient of travel-text as more comprehensible and attractive in the aspect of communication” [11, p. 678]. It could be applied to both entertainment issues that open unknown locations to their readers and familiarize them with interesting customs of their population and articles about informational and advertising manner to foster tourists' demand, providing mostly pragmatically targeted information. They also try to fill the “gap” of “ignorance” in the minds of potential tourists for their better adaptation for another cultural environment. Representing “alien” culture, travel journals are capable of shaping representations of some nations about others, contributing to the development of mutual understanding, or vice versa, fueling hostility, xenophobic sentiment, and intolerance. Now- days, when there is some interest to fiction and the reader prefers travel journals, they are increasingly joining the implementation of a responsible mission, definitely, the formation of stereotypical representations of representatives of other cultures. In addition they affect self-es- teemation and identity itself, both, individuals and the nation in a whole. Considering this, it is correct to state that travel journals are capable of performing image-making and nation-building functions. Regardless to the nation-building function, the acquaintance with the works of modern scholars encourages the selection of two main vectors of its implementation. The first one can be characterized by the concept of V. Lyzan- chuk, according to which the purpose of the activity of any modern media, the content and nature of its functioning, methods and forms of filing journalistic materials should be determined, first of all, by standards of journalistic professionalism. To these standards, which must be followed by domestic journalism, he refers to “Ukrainian national consciousness, state thinking, high morals and spirituality, patriotism and civic courage” [1]. I. Penchuk expresses solidarity with him and emphasizes the crucial role of the modern media and journalists working under the “cultivating a sense of dignity and patriotism in youth” that “begins with overcoming the complex of lesser value, the destruction of stereotypes about Ukrainian backwardness and provincialism” [4]. The second vector of nation-building function of travel logs is connected with the formation of the identity of the potential recipient, as repeatedly written by T. Nunes [16], M. Pratt [17], R. Shrome [20] and others. In the opinion of specialists in culture D. Morley and K. Robins the unification of social relations in the postmodern society highlights the “crisis of global identity”, that is why travel-journalists, at the same time, act as peculiar interpreters and creators of narratives that preserve the image of the identity of different people [14, p. 10]. D. Row emphasizes that “national, racial and ethical images and metaphorical mythologies are designed and selectively mobilized in the process of consumption. Tourists enter these images into cultural, economic, political and social images of a heterogeneous society” [18, p. 261]. H. Cheng and G. Holt argue for that travel journalism is capable of giving a potential tourist-reader the experience that an ethnographer usually has: “Both ethnographers and tourists are involved in cultural typing (and not just a description) in an alien context, which allows them to form in their consciousness a certain idea of the culture of the host party” [10, p. 103]. Most of travel-editions also have utilitarian (or informative) function, which has the ability to formulate certain ideas about the optimal ways to meet their own needs in mind of the recipient, associated with travel, trips, tourism. F. Hanusch convinces that a traveling narrative is usually aimed at stimulating of a potential recipient to travel, as well as, providing his interesting and useful information about potentially attractive routes, destinations of the recreational potential of a particular location [11]. The advertising function is closely linked with the utilitarian function of travel logs. Almost every travel journal contains a large amount of pragmatically oriented content that engages a potential recipient. This engagement can relate to aspects of the domestic and consular plan (advertising of certain travel companies, hotels, restaurants, entertainment, etc.), as well as the actual tourist product, which is served in the form of recommended routes, exciting descriptions of attractive destinations and so on. It must be clarified that the indicated Internet sites of tour operators, hotels, which are presented at the end of texts about tourist attractions of certain areas are the indicator of its detection. The publication, dedicated to the descriptions of resorts, detailed routes with instructions for recreation, etc. is also common practice. According to the German philosopher N. Luhmann, advertising, itself, veily “encourages the taste of people, who do not have it” [2, p. 76]. Modern communication scientists have repeatedly emphasized that utilitarianism (in the western scientific tradition it is equated with consularism), the travel narrative function, as a rule, is combined with entertaining and informative functions. A. Jansson, for example, persuades that in the travel-text there is presence of several diverse aspects (documentary, consular and entertainment), which lead to a combination of three modes in one narrative space: “journalistic documentary, entertainment facts and consular information” [13, p. 435]. These three modes, according to P Scannell, form a specific communicative intentionality [19, p. 41], as well as what the researcher B. Nichols calls “the mode of representation” [15, p. 223]. Danish scientists M. Damkjaer and A. Waade emphasize that travel-text is simultaneously aimed at persuading the recipient and influencing his attitude to a particular situation or problem in order to inform him and cause interest [9, p. 41]. So a functional syncretism of travel journalism manifests itself, due to the fact that it is at the crossroads of various discourses [12]. The optional functions of travel logs can be attributed to the image function. For its implementation, in particular, the majority of publications at the pages of such niche types of travel-editions as “Inflaty” are targeted. However, there are often materials aimed at creating a positive impression: image of certain regions, routes, tourist brands or companies that provide certain services at the pages of other travel magazines. The implementation of the image-making function is provided by the concept of a publication, covering a wide range of topics, related to recreation and tourism, in particular, it informs about tourist firms and their services. Having, obviously, partnership with a particular tour operator, it contributes to the formation of its favorable estimation (image) in the eyes of a potential consumer of travel services. The success of the implementation of the travel-texts of all these functions depends on the adequate correlation of such participants in the communicative process as the addresser (author of travel-articles, columnist, leading column narrator, etc.) and the addressee (potential consumer of travel-content). travel journal english

Conclusions

The presence of travel journalism as the topic-oriented intellectual and creative activity of contemporary journalists at the crossroads of various types of journalism (lifestyles, entertaining, scientific, cognitive, service) and various discourses (ideological, nation-building, consumerism, ecological, and discourse of intercultural communication) determines the list of executable travel log functions. Functions of travel-media text can be: informative and educational, communicative, entertaining and relaxing, utilitarian (or informative), nation-building and imahological, advertising, image-making.

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17. Pratt M. (1992). Imperial Eye: Travel Writing and transculturation. London: Routldge, 257 p.

18. Row D. (1993). Leisure and “Australianess”. Media, Culture and Society. № 15(2). P. 253-269.

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