Influence of a film on the language of youth subcultures - the case of the name 'matrix'

• Authors: Raszewska-Zurek B.
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The article deals with one of the manifestations of film influence on the language of youth subcultures - the use of the word 'matrix', coming from the popular and now considered 'cult' Andy and Larry Wachowski film 'Matrix', in everyday youth language. Members of the hip-hop subculture in Lódz call marihuana 'matrix'. 'Matrix' also means a state of alcoholic intoxication and virtual reality in general. Youth in Cracow uses the expression 'to be in the matrix' in the sense of 'finding oneself in a difficult situation'. The article aims at explaining how and why the title of the film 'Matrix' entered into youth language as a common noun 'matrix' having various meanings. These meanings have a metaphoric character based on differently understood and interpreted notions of reality, both an 'external' and film one. The semantic independence that the word 'matrix' gained in some linguistic communities testifies that the film constituted for them an important cultural event.

Keywords

EN

'MATRIX'; YOUTH SUB-CULTURES LANGUAGE

Discipline

• PHILOLOGY_&_LINGUISTICS: PHILOLOGY & LINGUISTICS

• Publisher: Instytut Slawistyki Polskiej Akademii Nauk
• Journal: Studia z Filologii Polskiej i Słowiańskiej
• Year: 2007
• Volume: 42
• Pages: 381-290
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Raszewska-Zurek B.

• B. Raszewska-Zurek, c/o Instytut Slawistyki PAN, ul. Bartoszewicza 1b, m. 17, 00-337 Warszawa, Poland

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

08PLAAAA03747532