The article presents my reflections on the editorial, an opinion-shaping type of text, seen from the
axiological perspective. It deals with the characteristic features of this kind of text, its special place in
journalism and the question of moral responsibility of editorial staff for evaluative views expressed
therein.
In my article, I discuss evaluation on the textual and paratextual level. My analysis of an editorial
on cloning from a French daily L’Humanité helps to show a range of linguistic tools that can be used
to convey ethical standpoints. The focus in the article on bio-ethical issues reflects the general interest
in subjects like abortion, cloning or the status of human embryos which give rise to many conflicts
of values, and these manifest themselves in language.

The article presents my reflections on the editorial, an opinion-shaping type of text, seen from the
axiological perspective. It deals with the characteristic features of this kind of text, its special place in
journalism and the question of moral responsibility of editorial staff for evaluative views expressed
therein.
In my article, I discuss evaluation on the textual and paratextual level. My analysis of an editorial
on cloning from a French daily L’Humanité helps to show a range of linguistic tools that can be used
to convey ethical standpoints. The focus in the article on bio-ethical issues reflects the general interest
in subjects like abortion, cloning or the status of human embryos which give rise to many conflicts
of values, and these manifest themselves in language.