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The article aims to describe the political narratives in the public discourse of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and Chilean President Gabriel Boric from a linguopragmatic perspective, based on their official speeches delivered over the past three years (2022—2025). The principal research method is Critical Discourse Analysis, within which presidential discourse is viewed as an effective instrument for influencing the audience’s consciousness and behavior. The study found that three dominant narratives prevail in N. Bukele’s dis­course: (a) El Salvador is a safe country; (b) El Salvador is an advanced country; and (c) El Sal­vador is a country of universal prosperity. Four leading narratives were identified in the discourse of G. Boric: (a) Chile is the leading country in the region; (b) Chile is a mul­ti­cultural and multiethnic state; (c) Chile is a democratic country; and (d) Chile is a reliable part­ner in the international arena. The principal linguistic means of representing these narratives are metaphors, lexical repetition, and ideologemes (of integrative semantics and value-cultural code). The theoretical significance of the study lies in advancing the under­standing of the specific features of political narrative in Latin American discourse, as well as in identifying the mechanisms of its linguistic representation, thereby providing a foundation for further research into the discursive practices of other state leaders. The practical sig­ni­ficance of the study is determined by the possibility of applying the findings in the training of specialists in linguistics, political science, and regional studies.

The article examines the images of the “other” and the “alien” as constant components un­derlying the structuring of the texts of English language national anthems. It highlights the role of the phenomenon of self-identification, which contributes to the formation of both individual and collective identity, one of whose components is national identity. As one of the means of representing national identity, the texts of the national anthems of a number of count­ries from different geographical regions are analyzed. Within the framework of the tra­di­tional dichotomy of the “self” and the “other,” particular attention is paid to the study of the ima­ge of the “other,” which encompasses the images of the “other” and the “alien.” It is estab­lished that the image of the “other” may be realized in both explicit and implicit forms. The study demonstrates that the image of the “alien” is less widespread in the texts under analysis and exhibits considerable thematic diversity. By applying the methods of continuous sampling and quantitative analysis, as well as the method of semantic analysis of linguistic material, the study identifies the principal means of explicating the images of the “other” and the “alien” in English language national anthems.

The study of the evaluative potential of youth slang in Internet discourse is based on data from the Russian-language social networking platform VKontakte and the cross-platform messaging application Telegram. Using the methods of contextual, definitional, lexical-semantic, cluster, and statistical analysis, the study establishes that an axiological approach plays a crucial role in determining the evaluative potential of youth slang within the Internet resources under consideration, as it makes it possible to identify the principal evaluative dominants and patterns in the linguistic worldview of the younger generation. Slang units serving as a means of evaluating surrounding reality in youth speech are analyzed according to three categories: evaluation of situations, evaluation of appearance, and evaluation of character. Through the identification of thematic clusters and subclusters, as well as the application of quantitative analysis, the study reveals expressive evaluative slang vocabulary with both positive and negative connotations corresponding to each of these categories.

The article examines the specificity of the artistic explication of the discrete nature of tem­poral experience in the works of Emily Dickinson (1830—1886). Drawing on the analy­tical framework of conceptual metaphor theory, which models the process of metaphorization as the transfer of properties from a concrete domain of knowledge to an abstract one, the study conducts a linguo-cognitive analysis of the image of “objectified” time, which in Dickinson’s poetry is characterized by a unique, idiosyncratic form of expression. The peculiarities of the artistic perception of the temporal fabric of existence as a combination of separate, isolated units are examined through the analysis of the poems “Of this is Day composed,” “I measure every Grief I meet,” “The Pile of Years is not so high,” and “Forever is composed of Nows,” which serve as vivid examples of the author’s individual perception of the complex and contradictory nature of time. The study identifies the key metaphorical models that constitute the cognitive foundation of the “object” images of time — the conventional metaphor TIME IS A SUBSTANCE and the authorial metaphor TIME IS A PILE OF YEARS. The linguistic realizations of these models are analyzed, revealing the close interconnection between the lyrical speaker’s temporal experience and their psychological state. It is demonstrated that the perception of time as discrete or, conversely, continuous depends on such fundamental yet diverse phenomena of the mental sphere as memory and emotions. The study concludes that object metaphors of time reflect the dual, ambivalent nature of temporal experience, in which discreteness and continuity are not opposed to each other but are inextricably linked within a single dynamic whole.

The article focuses on the dynamics of the linguistic realization of the archetypal se­man­tic opposition “the own — the alien” in the context of Marina Stepnova’s short story “Kaki Jam” (“Varenye iz kaki”). The study examines the semantic content and interaction of the com­ponents of the “one’s own — the alien” opposition within the text of the story and iden­tifies the key role of its opposing elements in the formation of the work’s content-conceptual and subtextual information. Based on a linguopoetic analysis of the markers of “one’s own” and “the alien” in the short story with the enigmatic title “Kaki Jam,” the article concludes that the conversion of “the alien” into “one’s own” is illusory and impossible when achieved at the cost of suppressing one’s own national and cultural identity and renouncing the na­tural “one’s own.”

The aim of the present study is to examine J. R. R. Tolkien’s artistic ethics and aesthetic ideas based on the short story “Leaf by Niggle.” The writer’s artistic philosophy is analyzed in the context of Immanuel Kant’s classical practical philosophy. The article examines the main formulations of Kant’s categorical imperative in comparison with the maxim of prudent self-love as understood by the Königsberg philosopher. It is suggested that Kant’s universal ethical imperative may be regarded as a sufficiently accurate formulation of the fundamental moral law in the fictional world of Tolkien’s “Leaf by Niggle.” The choice of Kant’s imperative, autonomous from religious and cultural tradition, is primarily determined by the English writer’s well-known aspiration to avoid elements of religious preaching in his own literary texts and, secondly, by Tolkien’s unquestionable knowledge of Kant’s practical philosophy. The theme of free creative activity in “Leaf by Niggle” is examined in the context of Kant’s moral imperative, as Tolkien’s narrative presents a conflict between the freedom of creative self-expression and the virtuous life of the protagonist. The study concludes that, in Tolkien’s artistic worldview, the meticulous adherence of a creative individual to the moral law spiritualizes free creativity, endowing the artist’s work with genius and a unique character of supreme reality in the style of medieval realism.

The Polish playwright Jerzy Szaniawski is one of the representatives of the Polish anti-fascist Resistance movement who survived the Second World War and reflected it in his works through the prism of the tragedy of an entire generation. The article examines his most renowned play “Two Theatres,” which not only engages in a debate concerning the genre-specific features of contemporary drama but also metaphorically conveys the tragedy of an individual against the background of devastating war. In 1969, the premiere of this play, staged by the Polish guest director Erwin Axer, took place at the M. Gorky Bolshoi Drama Theatre. The leading roles were performed by Sergei Yursky and Oleg Basilashvili. The article addresses the issue of the Soviet audience’s reception of Jerzy Szaniawski’s play in the context of the national specificities of two theatrical traditions: Polish and Russian. The study concludes that the metaphorical image of war became the central locus in the play for reinterpreting the tragic history of the Polish people, and that the understanding of the tragedy of an entire generation possesses specific features within Polish national consciousness.

The article presents an attempt to interpret certain aspects of the anthropogonic myth of the Russian avant-garde as realized at the level of metaphorical structures of avant-garde poetic texts. The study employs the analytical framework of the cognitive theory of metaphor; a corpus of anthropocentric metaphors is analyzed in detail, with particular attention paid to autometaphors (metaphors with a central I-component). Two approaches to metaphorizing the image of the subject (I), most frequently realized in avant-garde poetic texts, are examined: through correlation with components of the mental sphere (phenomena of consciousness / the unconscious) and through identification with the world (or a fragment / component of the world). Based on the results of the study, structural models of metaphors relevant for describing I-centered avant-garde poetic texts are constructed: “consciousness is I,” “product of consciousness (thought) is I,” “product of the unconscious (emotion) is I,” “space of the world is I,” “material of the world is I,” “component of the world is I.” The article also formulates conclusions concerning the specific features of the anthropogonic (autoanthro­pogonic) myth of the avant-garde constructed through the use of autometaphors. Its most prominent characteristics include the reflexive nature of the authorial I, the diffuseness of the boundaries of the I, and the wide variability of the manifestations of the I within the space of poetic texts.

The study is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the key technological features deter­mining the transformation of modern educational systems in the context of a digital society, based on scientific publications in leading academic journals for the period from 2018 to 2025. The research is based on the methods of systemic and comparative analysis of scholarly lite­rature, which made it possible to identify and characterize three key areas determining the trans­formation of the pedagogical paradigm at the present stage: the integration of digital environments and remote interaction, the application of artificial intelligence technologies, and the accessibility of electronic library resources. The impact of each of these areas is characterized, with both significant positive effects and systemic risks being revealed. It is established that the success of the digital transformation of education depends not on the introduction of new technologies as such, but on their pedagogically grounded application with due consideration of the mitigation of associated risks. The results are significant for the development of a balanced educational policy and the elaboration of new models of digital didactics.

The study aims to identify the specific features of the philosophy, methodology, and didactics of psychological education in China that should be taken into account in the process of educational transfer. A brief analysis is presented of the elements of traditional philosophy that receive new interpretations within the framework of contemporary theories and methodology of psychological education in the People’s Republic of China. The study concludes that its core content is shaped with consideration of indigenous theoretical and methodological principles, whereas the practical aspect of didactics, including the three-level structure, ECTS academic credits, the provision and assessment of the quality of educational outcomes, and other components, does not possess national specificity and corresponds to the trends of European education, thereby opening up new prospects for the advancement of psychological education and mutual educational transfer between China and the Russian Federation. At the same time, it is noted that students’ educational trajectories should be developed with consideration of the national specificities of the methodological and theoretical foundations of psychological science and education in the PRC and the Russian Federation. The findings of the study may be of interest to Russian scholars and teachers of psychological disciplines at universities in Russia and the People’s Republic of China. Understanding the specific features of professional psychological education in contemporary China will make it possible to overcome mental and didactic barriers to mutual educational transfer between Russian and Chinese students.

This article presents the results of a study of ethnic stereotypes about Russians among Tajik students. The study was conducted using J. Brigham’s percentage estimation method. The results of the empirical study made it possible to identify the ambivalent nature of the core of the ethnic stereotype: according to the respondents’ assessments, Russians combine aggressiveness with discipline and a pronounced sense of self-respect. At the same time, the assessments vary depending on the respondents’ place of residence. Students from rural areas reported a higher level of aggressiveness than their urban counterparts. An inverse rela­tionship was also identified between the attribution of aggressiveness and the presence of fa­mily members with experience of labor migration to Russia. Comparison with previous stu­dies revealed a decline in the indicator of “Russian hospitality.” The findings of the study may be used in the development of pre-departure training programs for labor migrants from Tajikistan and of joint media projects aimed at promoting the positive aspects of interethnic interaction.

The article examines the issue of improving the effectiveness of vocabulary skill development among fifth-grade students learning English through the integration of artificial intelligence technologies. It analyzes such AI-based tools as adaptive learning platforms, conversational chatbots, and generative neural networks. The article presents the results of a pedagogical experiment conducted at Lyceum No. 49 in Kaliningrad from September 2024 to May 2025, involving 225 students: the experimental group (113 students) was taught using AI technologies, whereas the control group (112 students) followed a traditional instructional approach. The evaluation was carried out according to three criteria: the size of active vocabulary, the speed of lexical retrieval, and the level of contextual inferencing. The findings indicate that the active vocabulary of the experimental group increased by 106.7 % (compared with 35.2 % in the control group), response time decreased by 35 %, and the accuracy of contextual inferencing improved by 20 percentage points. The differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The study also identifies several limitations, including digital ine­quality, the risk of uncritical acceptance of AI-generated corrections, and the need for addi­tional teacher training. The proposed approaches may be useful for teachers of English and spe­cialists in language teaching methodology.