English
РусскийThis paper is a part of the research which focuses on the study of discursive construction of British national identity. The paper aims to reveal what linguistic means are used within the discrediting strategy in the speeches by British politicians. The data include speeches by British politicians retrieved from the official websites of the campaigns “Vote Leave” and “Britain Stronger in Europe”. The study draws on techniques of critical discourse analysis. The Brexiteers use the discrediting strategy against the European Union, while the Remainers use it to undermine their political opponents. The range of the linguistic means used within the discrediting strategy includes pejoratives, invectives, adjectives with negative evaluative component, etc.
Keywords: national identity, Brexit, thematic area, strategy, discrediting strategy, linguistic means.