Theoretical Approaches to the Study of Web Design as a Language of the Internet Culture
Web design is not only a tool for modeling cultural space, but essentially a new cultural language which affects the thinking and culture of its users. To solve this problem we have identified, synthesized and used some approaches: semantic and semiotic trend in cultural studies and culturological aspects of studying web design in art criticism and the theory of design. Using the classical semiotic approach, including the methodology of Yu. Lotman and Yu. Stepanov, the paper analyzes the Internet culture as a semiotic system and suggests studying projecting properties of web design on the basis of informational and semiotic theories. To study web design as a complex and dynamic language of the Internet culture we applied the nonclassical direction in linguistics that substantiates the leading role of language in the formation of thinking. Following A. Wierzbicka, the author uses the synthesis of ideas of classical linguistics and the relativity hypothesis of Sapir-Whorf. The paper analyzes culturological aspects of understanding web design in works by art critics (D. Borodaev, E. Panofsky). To analyze sites as creolized texts the study employs E. Panofsky's three-level method complemented by the author. A. Lavrentev's method of studying the trends shaping in modern design is also used to study web design projecting properties. For the social and cultural analysis of the sites' audience the paper offers to use the data from web designers' practical works118