Polycode representation of information in Telegram messenger

The article identifies, structures and describes the key patterns of information polycode representation in Telegram messenger. Theoretical review of the concept code proves that the evolution of its understanding has expanded the scope of linguistic research to the most complex communication formats, social networks being one of them. Analysis of 200 posts from 15 Telegram channels of different profiles reveals six main codes of the platform: verbal component, image, video, audio, links, graphics tools, and metatext. The integration of these codes is subject to a number of factors, which indicates the polycode specificity of the meaning representation. Conceptual and multimodal methods of analysis have led to the identification of six basic models of polycode representation in Telegram messenger: “verbal text + image”; “verbal text + video”; “verbal text + audio”; “verbal text + graphics”; “verbal text + links”; “verbal text + metadata”. The research states the specifics of inter-code relationships, justifies the choice of the polycode pattern by the post pragmatics and the communicator type. It also proves that the verbal code is the key component of the content, the visual code provides both the highest degree of information processing and its aesthetics, audio and video codes serve for contact establishing, the links present the intertextuality of the Internet text and, as a result, expand the information, graphics provides the convenience of semantic structuring of the text and highlights its significant aspects; metadata, despite its operational nature, is an important component of personalisation as well as a promotion tool. Taken together, the polycode patterns can be viewed as significant indicators of the digital identity and reputation of Telegram users as well as the Internet users in general.