Functions of quotations and roles of speakers in journalistic communication (the case of two texts: violent and about violence)

Abstract

The text concerns the function of quotation in two texts related to violence: Katarzyna Włodkowska’s In Andrzej Skworz’s editorial. “I’m counting down until you get angry and come out” (“Duży Format”, 25.05.2023) and Marcin Kącki My journalism — alcohol, unsuccessful therapies, badly loved women, neglected daughters and fear of the dawn (Wyborcza.pl, 5.01.2024). Other people’s words are used here not only as structural material, but also result from genre recognitions, and finally determine the credibility (ethos) of the sender and the medium. Stylistic analysis and content influence the assignment of individual voices to the respective speakers according to the dramatic triangle. In K. Włodkowska the most important role is played by independent citation (especially independent speech), while in M. Kącki’s publication it is dependent speech. As the two texts differ in their narrative perspective, the issue of the location of the quotation has also been recognised: there are first-degree quotations — in the narrative and second-degree quotations — in other quotations. The roles of speakers were structured in such a way as to detail the category of participant in the events described. The triad: victim, perpetrator, saviour proved to be distinguishable and characterisable due to the fact that the global theme of both texts is violence. The genre or narrative differences of the two texts allow for a differentiated view of all three types of speakers and their entanglement in the mechanisms of action of the quotations.