Ljiljana Saric
I am a professor of South Slavic linguistics at the Department of Literature, Area Studies, and European Languages at the University of Oslo. My research fields include meaning in language, the relation of language and thought, cognitive linguistics, identity formation in discourse (specifically, discursive construction of cultural identity), and South Slavic languages, literatures and cultures.
The topics of my published works include semantics, morphology, lexicology, lexicography, morphology, terminology, the relation between logic and linguistics, space in language, discursive formation of cultural identity, and metaphors in discourse. I have also published on South Slavic literature.
Address: Oslo, Oslo, Norway
The topics of my published works include semantics, morphology, lexicology, lexicography, morphology, terminology, the relation between logic and linguistics, space in language, discursive formation of cultural identity, and metaphors in discourse. I have also published on South Slavic literature.
Address: Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Papers by Ljiljana Saric
Keywords: impoliteness judgments, impoliteness interpretations, user comments,
impoliteness formulae, Croatian and Serbian newspapers
Keywords: visual representation, refugee crisis, Croatian public broadcaster’s online portal, Identifiable victim effect, single victim effect, social semiotics
This article explores how migrants were visually presented during the so-called migration crisis in southeast Europe in the fall of 2015. It considers photographs from two public broadcasters’ news portals: Slovenia's rtvslo.si and Croatia's hrt.hr. The focus is on a specific category of images we label subjectless images; that is, images visually representing migrants and migration that avoid showing migrants as subjects. In these images, subjects are substituted by objects that metaphorically, metonymically, or symbolically stand for migrants and migration. The article explores the ideological operation of subjectless images, which operates through the logic of substituting human subjects with metaphorical, metonymic, and symbolic objects. What is presented to viewers as a certain object's mimetic image is explored within the production of a specific narrative and signification.
KEYWORDS: Visual symbol, visual metaphor, visual metonymy, online news, Croatia, Slovenia, migration
This chapter investigates the verbal and visual representation of migration and migrants in Croatian and Serbian public broadcasters’ online portals during the “migrant crisis” in 2015/2016. The study shows that migrants are generally positively represented, which is congruent with the official policies of Croatia and Serbia. This positive representation was frequently used for positive self-evaluation of these countries’ influential social actors, and negative evaluation of neighboring countries. The chapter employs macro- and micro-linguistic analysis within the theoretical framework of critical discourse analysis and multimodal analysis.
in Norway. Emphasis is placed on identity construction, integration and impoliteness strategies.
The material presented in this study was retrieved from a corpus which was collected as part
of a project devoted to national identity in immigration discourse. The method of analysis
presented in this paper follows Culpeper’s (1996) taxonomy of impoliteness strategies. The data
under inspection illustrate several types of positive and negative impoliteness. The results
of the study demonstrate that the Polish diaspora in Norway is only partially integrated and that
the language Poles use while writing both about the Norwegians and, in particular, about other
Poles is imbued with insults, negative associations and derogatory nominations.
Keywords: identity, impoliteness, immigration discourse
Keywords: verbal prefixes, prefixal semantics, the prefix u , Bulgarian/Croatian
The prototypical meaning of verbs prefixed with o(b)- involves a general notion of circular movement realized in concrete spatial realms: a trajector (TR) performs a circular movement around a landmark (LM). This spatial schema of circular movement can be illustrated by the motion verb optrčati ‘make a full circle by running around a certain area’. Our analysis aims to show that the central meaning, move around (an object), has a special status in the meaning network because it directly or indirectly motivates all of the other meanings. We show that the various meanings of o(b)-verbs are not a random collection of unrelated senses, but form a semantic network in which individual meanings emerge via metaphorical and metonymic extensions and relate to systematic and partially predictable applications of concrete spatial relations to abstract ideas.
Keywords: verbal prefixes, o(b)- in Croatian, cognitive linguistics
U radu se analizira glagolski prefix o(b)- u hrvatskome jeziku iz kognitivnolingvističke perspektive, s posebnim osvrtom na povezanost njegovih naizgled različitih značenja, te na proširenja njegovih prostornih značenja u neprostorne domene. Prototipno značenje glagola s prefiksom o(b)- uključuje ideju kružnoga kretanja u konkretnim prostornim domenama: trajektor (TR) se kružno kreće oko orijentira (LM). Ta se prostorna shema kružnoga kretanja može ilustrirati glagolom kretanja optrčati. Analiza ima za cilj pokazati da središnje značenje prefiksa o(b)-, kretanje oko, ima poseban status u značenjskoj mreži jer na izravan ili neizravan način motivira sva ostala značenja. U radu pokazujemo da različita značenja prefiksa o(b)- ne predstavljaju nasumičan zbir nepovezanih značenja, već da čine koherentnu značenjsku mrežu.
Keywords: impoliteness judgments, impoliteness interpretations, user comments,
impoliteness formulae, Croatian and Serbian newspapers
Keywords: visual representation, refugee crisis, Croatian public broadcaster’s online portal, Identifiable victim effect, single victim effect, social semiotics
This article explores how migrants were visually presented during the so-called migration crisis in southeast Europe in the fall of 2015. It considers photographs from two public broadcasters’ news portals: Slovenia's rtvslo.si and Croatia's hrt.hr. The focus is on a specific category of images we label subjectless images; that is, images visually representing migrants and migration that avoid showing migrants as subjects. In these images, subjects are substituted by objects that metaphorically, metonymically, or symbolically stand for migrants and migration. The article explores the ideological operation of subjectless images, which operates through the logic of substituting human subjects with metaphorical, metonymic, and symbolic objects. What is presented to viewers as a certain object's mimetic image is explored within the production of a specific narrative and signification.
KEYWORDS: Visual symbol, visual metaphor, visual metonymy, online news, Croatia, Slovenia, migration
This chapter investigates the verbal and visual representation of migration and migrants in Croatian and Serbian public broadcasters’ online portals during the “migrant crisis” in 2015/2016. The study shows that migrants are generally positively represented, which is congruent with the official policies of Croatia and Serbia. This positive representation was frequently used for positive self-evaluation of these countries’ influential social actors, and negative evaluation of neighboring countries. The chapter employs macro- and micro-linguistic analysis within the theoretical framework of critical discourse analysis and multimodal analysis.
in Norway. Emphasis is placed on identity construction, integration and impoliteness strategies.
The material presented in this study was retrieved from a corpus which was collected as part
of a project devoted to national identity in immigration discourse. The method of analysis
presented in this paper follows Culpeper’s (1996) taxonomy of impoliteness strategies. The data
under inspection illustrate several types of positive and negative impoliteness. The results
of the study demonstrate that the Polish diaspora in Norway is only partially integrated and that
the language Poles use while writing both about the Norwegians and, in particular, about other
Poles is imbued with insults, negative associations and derogatory nominations.
Keywords: identity, impoliteness, immigration discourse
Keywords: verbal prefixes, prefixal semantics, the prefix u , Bulgarian/Croatian
The prototypical meaning of verbs prefixed with o(b)- involves a general notion of circular movement realized in concrete spatial realms: a trajector (TR) performs a circular movement around a landmark (LM). This spatial schema of circular movement can be illustrated by the motion verb optrčati ‘make a full circle by running around a certain area’. Our analysis aims to show that the central meaning, move around (an object), has a special status in the meaning network because it directly or indirectly motivates all of the other meanings. We show that the various meanings of o(b)-verbs are not a random collection of unrelated senses, but form a semantic network in which individual meanings emerge via metaphorical and metonymic extensions and relate to systematic and partially predictable applications of concrete spatial relations to abstract ideas.
Keywords: verbal prefixes, o(b)- in Croatian, cognitive linguistics
U radu se analizira glagolski prefix o(b)- u hrvatskome jeziku iz kognitivnolingvističke perspektive, s posebnim osvrtom na povezanost njegovih naizgled različitih značenja, te na proširenja njegovih prostornih značenja u neprostorne domene. Prototipno značenje glagola s prefiksom o(b)- uključuje ideju kružnoga kretanja u konkretnim prostornim domenama: trajektor (TR) se kružno kreće oko orijentira (LM). Ta se prostorna shema kružnoga kretanja može ilustrirati glagolom kretanja optrčati. Analiza ima za cilj pokazati da središnje značenje prefiksa o(b)-, kretanje oko, ima poseban status u značenjskoj mreži jer na izravan ili neizravan način motivira sva ostala značenja. U radu pokazujemo da različita značenja prefiksa o(b)- ne predstavljaju nasumičan zbir nepovezanih značenja, već da čine koherentnu značenjsku mrežu.
Knjiga je prvi uvod općega i preglednoga tipa u temeljne kognitivnolingvističke teme u Hrvatskoj. Iako je, naime, uz dosta znanstvenih radova posljednjih godina u Hrvatskoj izišao i određen broj akademskih monografija i uredničkih izdanja s kognitivnolingvističkom tematikom, a s tom je tematikom napisan i niz doktorata (pregled tih istraživanja donosimo u desetom poglavlju naše knjige), ipak smatramo da potreba za ovakvom knjigom još uvijek postoji: postojeće su studije zahtjevne i bave se specifičnim temama koje je teško pratiti bez određenoga predznanja iz kognitivne lingvistike. Nasuprot tome, ova je knjiga zamišljena kao tekst koji pretpostavlja osnovno predznanje o lingvističkim metodama i povijesti lingvistike, ali ne i kognitivnolingvističko predznanje. Zamišljena je kao polazište čiji je cilj omogućiti ili olakšati pristup tematski specifičnim te metodološki složenijim kognitivnolingvističkim radovima. Cilj nam je bio uputiti čitatelja u temeljna pitanja i spoznaje, ponuditi mu uvid u široki raspon tema uz popratne smjernice i zadatke, kako bi onda svatko na temelju te osnovne, no nadajmo se ipak dovoljno informativne građe, mogao odlučiti na koji se segment prikazane slike fokusirati.
The chapters apply discourse analysis in addition to approaches from history, sociology, political science, and anthropology. All of the analyses make use of empirical material in the Slavic languages, including newspaper articles, interviews and other media contributions, sermons, addresses, and speeches by members of the political elite.
Quotes
“The case-studies presented in the volume will undoubtedly be valuable to students and scholars interested in the interaction between politics and culture in Central and Southeast Europe. The major strengths of the work as a whole are that it indicates the instability and dynamics of collective identity discourse during the transformation processes in the region and that it convincingly introduces national holidays as a fruitful source to analyse collective self-understanding.”
— Pieter Troch, Ghent University, in Slavonic and East European Review, Vol. 91.4 (October 2013), pages 942-944.
U rječnik su uvrštene i riječi iz razgovornoga jezika, regionalizmi u široj uporabi te općepoznati žargonizmi. Naime, standardna ili bi rana riječ nije u svakoj situaciji prava i najprihvatljivija. Situacija, stajalište pisca ili govornika te nakana poruke uvjetuju izbor riječi koje pripadaju različitim stilističkim i funkcionalnim razinama. Rječnik sinonima stoga je namijenjen svakome tko želi obogaćivati vlastite jezične izražajne mogućnosti, kao što su primjerice: učenici, studenti, prevoditelji, novinari, redaktori, pisci, lektori, stranci koji uče hrvatski, tj. svima koji se na bilo koji način bave pisanjem, riječima i njihovim mogućim zamjenama.
Since 1989, Europe’s eastern rim has been in constant flux. Political and economic transformations have triggered redefinitions of cultural identity. Combining theory-oriented and empirical approaches, this book analyzes modes of identity construction in public discourse, particularly focusing on national and cross-national rhetorical strategies related to European Union enlargement and EU policy towards southeast Europe.
Reviews:
This is a timely book with a rich array of contributions exploring discursive constructions of identity in a number of countries on Europe’s Eastern rim. Thematically focused and integrated, the volume provides much needed perspectives on hitherto underresearched areas and languages. At the same time, the theoretical and methodological issues that it addresses will appeal more generally to scholars studying political and media discourse.
Gerlinde Mautner, Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, Austria
This publication offers a convincing case for the fluidity of national and cultural identities, especially those predicated on 'Europe'. It corroborates the proposition that identities are constructed in relational terms and it offers clear insights on how the 'other' has been dynamically contested, negotiated and reconstructed in public discourses on an enlarged EU, thus highlighting the key role of different linguistic representations in redefining identities. This publication is certainly refreshing as it invites reflections on the construction of 'Europeanness'.
Franco Zappettini, Birkbeck College, University of London, in Journal of Language and Politics Vol.12:2 (2013)
Temelj je ovom radu moj magistarski rad o antonimiji u hrvatskom jeziku. Prije njegova nastanka bilo je malo rasprava koje su se teorijski bavile suprotnošću leksičkih značenja. Prvotni je tekst prerađen, proširen i dopunjen spoznajama o antonimiji do kojih sam došla u radovima nastalima izvan okvira magistarskog rada ili nakon njega.
on migration which have become central in media and politics both in Europe and the USA. The five papers presented here look at the representation of migrants in public discourse from a variety of perspectives and provide the current debate on migration within and
beyond Linguistics with some original insights into the discourses of migration.
Semantic and grammatical features of o-/ob- in verbs of emotion in Slovene (str.19-39) / Agnieszka Będkowska-Kopczyk
Kretanje od – do u hrvatskome. Analiza polazišta, ciljeva i dvojnih čitanja dativa. Moving od(-) and do(-) in Croatian. An account of sources, goals and dual readings of the dative (str.41-69) /
Maja Brala-Vukanović, Anita Memišević
Orphan prefixes and the grammaticalization of aspect in South Slavic. Osamostaljeni prefiksi i gramatikalizacija vida u južnoslavenskim jezicima (str.71-105) / Stephen M. Dickey
Prijedlog i prefiks nad u južnoslavenskim jezicima s naglaskom na makedonskom jeziku.The preposition and prefix nad in South Slavic languages with emphasis on Macedonian (str.107-150). / Liljana Mitkovska, Eleni Bužarovska
Prijedlog uz u hrvatskome: kognitivni pristup. The Croatian preposition uz: A cognitive approach (str.151-190) / Ljiljana Šarić
Kognitivnosemantička analiza prefiksa uz u hrvatskom jeziku. A cognitive semantic account of the prefix uz in Croatian 191-218 (str.191-218) / Ljiljana Šarić
Kognitivna analiza bugarskih prijedloga i glagolskih prefiksa nad i pod
A cognitive analysis of the Bulgarian prepositions and verbal prefixes NAD and POD (str.219-260)/Ivelina Tchizmarova
This issue of OSLa is edited by Ljiljana Šarić, ILOS, UiO.
Keywords: Croatia; Montenegro; identity discourse; emotions; impoliteness
This bibliography has not been updated since 2009. The sources of the data for the bibliography were limited: we have largely relied on information provided by the authors. The bibliography certainly does not contain all the works dealing with Slavic in the framework of Cognitive Linguistics up to 2009, but we hope that it illustrates the great variety of topics dealt with, and that it will serve as a useful source of information
Among the 1,347 images analyzed for content in the first round, around 20% are subjectless images, in which migrants are (almost) absent: these photos are the focus of this analysis. In these images, migrant subjects are mostly substituted by various objects. The main research question concerns the role of visual metonymy, metaphor, and symbols in these subjectless images. The methods used are approaches to the visual presentation of social actors (van Leeuwen 2008), and visual metaphor and metonymy (El Refaie 2003; Forceville & Urios-Aparisi 2009; Catalano & Waugh 2013).
The initial results indicate that the role of visual metonymies, metaphors, and symbols seems to be to shift responsibility, thereby hiding or blurring the underlying power relations, replacing the complex human individuality with broad, impersonal generalizations, and facilitating emotional detachment in potential viewers.
Keywords: visual metonymy, visual metaphor, symbols, migration, migrants, refugees, media representations
The existing research indicates that identifiability and accountability comes with commenting via Facebook, and that impolite communicative behaviour in reader comments is significantly more common on Websites where users are able to maintain their anonymity. With Facebook comments, commenters are identified with, and accountable for, the content they produce. However, my findings do not confirm this. The share of the impolite comments is higher in the newspaper that uses Facebook comments. Facebook users may, of course, construct fictious selves (and many in my corpus do so – there are some clear cases of invented names (e.g., Platon Aristotel).
I also examined the relationship between platform type and the direction of impoliteness, starting with a hypothesis that Facebook comments will exhibit less interpersonal impoliteness than Website comments. This assumption has not been confirmed either.
When it comes to identity, disaffiliation is mainly constructed through highly negative and stigmatizing descriptions of those considered to belong to an out-group: here, another national group (Serbs or Croats). These descriptions are related to different impoliteness realizations, often “direct”. However, impoliteness, albeit more indirect, is applied when constructing disaffiliation from some in-group members that are judged to behave in a manner that the posters consider inappropriate. The construction of in-groups versus out-groups is likely to saliently rely on positive impoliteness strategies (that dominate in this sample).
The posters strategically used impoliteness expressed through overtly impolite remarks. They used blatant face-aggravation, and hence impoliteness, to communicate disagreement, to argue against some perceived attitude of in-group members, and against the out-group’s assumed ideological views and behavior, or to discredit ideological opponents.
The findings indicate that the overall topic of newspaper articles relates to frequency and direction of impoliteness realizations in readers responses. Furthermore, commenters’ collective identity certainly seems relevant to a clear understanding of impoliteness in deindividuated contexts, such as this one, in which posters construct a salient social, collective identity. This finding is in line with some existing analyses of online readers response and You tube discussions.
My sample material confirms existing findings on media presentation of female politicians. It shows that the media have perpetuated sexist and gender stereotypes. It seems that in the Croatian (media) world, female politicians are certainly seen through different lenses than men. The media seem to be uncomfortable with the idea of women as political leaders.