GASTRONOMIC CODES IN THE ENGLISH AND FRENCH LANGUAGES: REPRESENTATION IN MODERN MEDIA AND CULINARY DISCOURSE

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive linguistic analysis of gastronomic codes in English and French within modern media and culinary discourse. The relevance of the study stems from the growing role of gastronomic vocabulary as a key component of the linguistic worldview, representing cultural values, social practices and national traditions. Particular attention is paid to the transformation of gastronomic vocabulary under the influence of globalisation, mass culture, and digital communication. The aim of the article is to identify the features of gastronomic codes in contemporary English– and French-language media landscape, and to highlight their role in shaping emotional, social, and cultural meanings. The study employs descriptive, comparative, and contextual methods to examine patterns of gastronomic terminology in digital discourse. The findings show that English-language media discourse is characterised by a high degree of expressiveness, metaphorical usage, and slang variation, actively representing emotional states, social interactions, and physical characteristics. In contrast, French discourse demonstrates greater stability and preservation of traditional gastronomic terms reflecting cultural heritage and everyday food practices. The study also reveals a gradual convergence of gastronomic codes across languages and cultures in the context of globalization and digitalisation, leading to new forms and meanings. This highlights the dynamism of gastronomic vocabulary and its adaptability to changing socio-cultural realities. Consequently, gastronomic codes perform not only nominative, but also communicative-pragmatic and conceptual functions, serving as a tool for intercultural interaction and the representation of national identity. Further research may expand cross-linguistic analysis of gastronomic vocabulary and explore its development in digital discourse, particularly in social media, meme culture, blogging. and multimedia platforms.