LINGUOCULTURAL AND DISCURSIVE ASPECTS OF THE NATIONAL IMAGE

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the linguocultural and discursive representation of national identity in Kazakhstan’s media discourse. In the context of a multiethnic and multilingual society, mass media play a strategic role in strengthening national unity and shaping a holistic image of the nation. The study is based on a corpus of Kazakh- and Russian-language media texts published between 2020 and 2024. The analysis includes news reports, editorials, official statements, and televised materials that address issues of national values, national identity, and collective memory. The research methodology integrates critical discourse analysis (N. Fairclough, T. van Dijk) and a linguocultural approach. The textual and visual materials reveal key discursive strategies, including unifying lexicon, national symbols, symbolic metaphors, binary oppositions (tradition/modernization), and references to historical and cultural heritage. Particular attention is paid to visual codes representing the state flag, national landscapes, and ethnic diversity. Kazakh-language media texts emphasize tradition and historical continuity, whereas Russian-language texts more frequently highlight civic unity and state ideology. The findings demonstrate the ideological potential of media discourse in shaping national consciousness and social cohesion. The results confirm the effectiveness of linguocultural analysis of media texts and provide a theoretical and practical basis for further research on national identity.