A corpus study on the figurative usage of ancient hero names in contemporary online media

Abstract

In recent years, interest in ancient mythology has been steadily increasing, as it emerges not merely as a component of cultural heritage but as a dynamic source of symbols and metaphors relevant to contemporary contexts. Mythological figures are actively revived across popular culture, and media, acquiring new meanings, associations, and situational nuances in the process.

Within contemporary media discourse, the names of ancient heroes operate as salient elements of cultural memory. They are frequently employed figuratively rather than literally, enabling authors of online publications to appeal to shared cultural codes, create expressive characterizations, and expand the interpretive potential of texts. Such allusions and metaphorical uses enhance the emotional impact of media narratives while simultaneously illustrating the mechanisms by which ancient cultural heritage is preserved, adapted, and transformed in the modern linguistic environment.

The significance of this study lies in its integration of corpus-based methodology with the analysis of culturally marked linguistic units, providing new perspectives for investigating intertextual connections and the representation of cultural heritage within the media landscape. The research findings offer insights into how semantic transformations of ancient hero names are realized in contemporary Ukrainian online media and the communicative functions these linguistic units perform within public discourse.

The primary aim of this study is to examine the frequency and distinctive patterns of figurative usage of ancient hero names in contemporary Ukrainian online media texts, drawing upon the GRAC corpus. Employing a corpus-based approach ensures the representativeness of the dataset and allows for the identification of systematic patterns in the use of these units within journalistic discourse, including both expressive and evaluative functions.

The material under analysis comprises Ukrainian online media texts included in the GRAC corpus, which enables a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative analysis of linguistic phenomena. By tracing the deployment of ancient hero names, the study highlights not only their evolving semantic and pragmatic roles but also their capacity to function as instruments for symbolic modeling and interpretation of social reality.

Overall, the research demonstrates that the figurative and allusive use of mythological names in contemporary media serves as a meaningful interface between past and present, linking collective cultural memory with contemporary communicative needs. This approach sheds light on broader mechanisms of cultural continuity, adaptation, and semiotic innovation, illustrating the enduring relevance of classical mythology as a source of symbolic and rhetorical resources in today’s media environment.