Representation of culinary and gastronomic code of modern culture in demotivators: linguistic and cultural aspect

Abstract

Culinary and gastronomic code of modern culture, represented in a polymodal text, namely in demotivators, is of particular interest from the point of view of axiological perspective. The relevance of this topic is connected with the study of the creolized text and the ways of explication of modern values in the verbal and visual components of the demotivator. The material for the study is demotivators of culinary and gastronomic topics that are freely available on the Internet. A distinctive feature is a verbal / non-verbal indication, firstly, of the cultural component of the region; secondly, of the way of representing professional activity or any distinctive character trait. The main method is a comprehensive analysis of a demotivator. “Tradition – innovation” dichotomy is realized in demotivators. If the verbal component of the demotivator contains an indication of a foreign dish, then the visual component includes typical, traditional dishes for a particular culture. Conversely, traditional names of dishes or food products receive an “innovative” interpretation. Professional activity is a distinctive feature in the design of the dish, the method of cooking and the contents. There is an appeal not only to the background knowledge about the stereotypes of the professional sphere and nutrition practices, but also to the general cultural background.