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Philology. Theory & Practice
  • Original research article
  • May 7, 2026
  • Open access

Semantic development of the lexical unit “developments” in the public diplomacy discourse of Anglophone countries

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Abstract

The research aims to identify key semantic changes in the lexical unit “developments” from a diachronic perspective (spanning the periods 2006-2020 and 2024-2026) within the public diplomacy discourse of English-speaking countries. The article examines diplomatic language as a Language for Specific Purposes (LSP), reveals shifts in modern diplomatic discourse, and analyzes potential meanings (including terminologized ones) and translation variants of the lexical units “developments” and “development” across time. The study highlights primary semantic modifications of the unit “developments”, arguing that it is not merely the plural grammatical form of “development” but has acquired its own distinct meanings. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that “developments” is investigated for the first time as an independent lexical unit rather than simply the plural of “development”. This diachronic approach allowed for the identification of the period when its semantic changes began within the context of public diplomacy. The results reveal the euphemization of the unit “developments” in American and British English within the analyzed materials (publications of the US and UK foreign policy departments). The findings demonstrate a steady dynamic of semantic changes in lexical units used in the context of contemporary Anglophone public diplomacy.

Research materials

  1. 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report // The United States Government. 2020. https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-trafficking-in-persons-report/
  2. Cambridge Dictionary. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/development
  3. Education of children with disabilities in India and Pakistan: Critical analysis of developments in the last 15 years // UK Government. 2018. 6 July. https://www.gov.uk/research-for-development-outputs/education-of-children-with-disabilities-in-india-and-pakistan-critical-analysis-of-developments-in-the-last-15-years
  4. Google Books Ngram Viewer. https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=developments&year_start=1500&year_end=2022&corpus=en-US&smoothing=3
  5. Joint statement on recent developments in Georgia // UK Government. 2025. 11 July. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-on-recent-developments-in-georgia
  6. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/development
  7. Planning developments which help river restoration // UK Government. 2013. 1 June. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-developments-which-help-river-restoration
  8. Poverty and inequality dynamics in South Africa: post-apartheid developments in the light of the long-run legacy // UK Government. 2009. 1 January. https://www.gov.uk/research-for-development-outputs/poverty-and-inequality-dynamics-in-south-africa-post-apartheid-developments-in-the-light-of-the-long-run-legacy
  9. Secretary Rubio’s Call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, 2025 // The United States Government. 2025. https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/12/secretary-rubios-call-with-saudi-foreign-minister-prince-faisal-bin-farhan-al-saud-7/
  10. Secretary Rubio’s Call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, 2026 // The United States Government. 2026. https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/01/secretary-rubios-call-with-saudi-foreign-minister-prince-faisal-bin-farhan-al-saud-9/
  11. Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan // The United States Government. 2025. https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/05/secretary-rubios-meeting-with-king-abdullah-ii-of-jordan/
  12. The Content Authority. https://thecontentauthority.com/blog/development-vs-developments
  13. UK statement to the OSCE on developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, May 2024 // UK Government. 2024. 2 May. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/uk-statement-to-the-osce-on-developments-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina-may-2024
  14. WooordHunt. https://wooordhunt.ru/word/developments
  15. Словари и энциклопедии на Академике. https://translate.academic.ru/

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Author information

Ksenia Aleksandrovna Logunova

Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University), Odintsovo Branch

About this article

Publication history

  • Received: March 24, 2026.
  • Published: May 7, 2026.

Keywords

  • современный англоязычный международный дискурс
  • развитие семантики слова
  • публичная дипломатия
  • язык для специальных целей
  • эвфемизмы
  • contemporary Anglophone international discourse
  • semantic development
  • public diplomacy
  • Language for Specific Purposes
  • euphemisms

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