Free attributive phrases as regulatory settings (based on the contemporary British newspaper discourse)

Abstract

This article presents research of descriptive individual and psychological attributive phrases, referents of which are represented by the persons of masculine or feminine sex. The paper reveals semantic, ideographic and cognitive characteristics of gender marked free attributive phrases which supply them with stereotypical potential and regulative function. Comparative analysis of the units under research establishes that conceptual and evaluative matter of the descriptive phrases of male and female reference discourse subject of which is unknown reflects both traditional and alternative concept of the desired gender roles.