The Language of Political Defavourisation in the National-Democratic Press Publications (1918–1939) Cover Image

JĘZYK DEFAWORYZACJI W NARODOWODEMOKRATYCZNEJ PUBLICYSTYCE PRASOWEJ (1918–1939)
The Language of Political Defavourisation in the National-Democratic Press Publications (1918–1939)

Author(s): Ewa Maj
Subject(s): Media studies, Pre-WW I & WW I (1900 -1919), Interwar Period (1920 - 1939)
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego
Keywords: Language of Political Defavourisation; National Democrats; Roman Dmowski, Zygmunt Balicki; Jan Ludwik Popławski

Summary/Abstract: The leadership of National Democrats (ND) appreciated the significance of political press publications, creating many party press organs. The leaders of ND headed by Roman Dmowski, Zygmunt Balicki and Jan Ludwik Popławski were themselves experienced editors and publishers of nation-wide and local periodicals. They raised a number of younger political journalists who expanded the press system of ND in the independent Poland. Those journalists proved skilfull in (1) coding and decoding of communiques, (2) using imaginative forms of thinking, (3) quick interpretation of political phenomena and instantenous reacting to them, (4) carrying out languistic negotiations. In the political propaganda battles, ND was capable of employing slogans, using shortcuts and simplifications. The party proved that it was able to use the political language to manipulate social moods and attitudes. The language of political defavourisation in the ND publications was a language of political exclusion. It exclued from the national life members of political groupings which competed with ND (in particular the members of the political group of „Sanacja”), national minorities (mainly Jews and Germans), as well as members of secret associations (masonry) and illegal political parties such as communists. This language built up rigorous conditions and procedures in the conceptions of Polishness, the Nation, national interest, national identity etc. It was to protect the nationalist system of values against enemies: political, ideological, religious, cultural. It reflected the spirit of the historical era with its characteristic socio-cultural, political and economic transformations.

  • Issue Year: 2009
  • Issue No: 06
  • Page Range: 64-72
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: Polish