scholarly journals The Representation of America and China in Trump's Press Conferences Concerning COVID-19: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Author(s):  
Zainab Abd Al-Razaq Mohammad ◽  
Zainab Abd Al-Razaq Mohammad

This study explores the construction of “Self” and the “Other” in President Donald Trump’s political discourse concerning COVID-19. The study is based on two Critical Discourse Analysis approaches which are van Dijk’s ideological square and Fairclough’s three-dimensional approach. Van Dijk’s ideological square is utilized to investigate the representation of the “self” and the “other” throughout Trump’s conferences. Fairclough’s three-dimensional model is utilized to reveal the lexical items that are used in Trump’s political discourse to construct the “self” and the “other”. Fourteen press conferences of Trump are used for the analysis. The data is selected between periods from February 2020, until September 2020. This period represents the period of appearance and the spreading of COVID-19. The results of the study revealed that before the spreading of COVID-19, China was represented in a positive portrayal, while after the spreading of COVID-19; China was represented in a negative portrayal. On the other hand, America was represented in a positive and noble portrayal after and before the outbreak of COVID-19. Furthermore, lexical items, such as “China virus, Wuhan virus, Wuhan labs, Kung flu, got out of control, etc.” are associated with China, to hold it responsible for creating and spreading COVID-19.

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1279
Author(s):  
Joshua Addy ◽  
Emmanuel Amo Ofori

Referring to politicians’ use of language to promote their ideologies before, during and after elections, campaign speeches represent a key genre in political discourse. In this study, we examine the campaign speech of a Ghanaian opposition leader, Nana Akufo-Addo, at the manifesto launch of his party. We analyze his use of language to create identity and solidarity with the electorate, with the aim of persuading them to accept and support his ideas and ultimately vote for him. Drawing on Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of critical discourse analysis (CDA), the study revealed that Nana Addo utilised the pronouns I, you, our and we and repetition to create a positive bond, identify and show solidarity with the electorate. Also, these strategies were aimed at persuading voters to endorse him as the most credible candidate for the position of president. This study contributes to CDA research on the nexus between language, politics and society.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Imron Hizbullah ◽  
Muhammad Taufiq Al Makmun

<em>This paper investigates the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) in studying the inauguration speech of Donald Trump at the Capitol Hill, Washington DC on January 20, 2017. The objective of the study is to uncover the hidden messages regarding ideologies shared and critiques appointed to Obama’s presidency. The paper uses the theory of CDA by Norman Fairclough by focusing on the three aspects of research which are (1) micro or linguistic analysis, (2) Mezzo or discursive analysis, and (3) macro or contextual analysis. The three dimensional model of CDA is aimed to uncover the ideologies shared and critiques appointed to based on linguistic features, socio-political aspect, and discursive practice. The American Dream is represented in seven issues risen which are (1) US economic condition during Obama’s presidency, (2) US political condition during Obama’s presidency, (3) US social condition during Obama’s presidency, (4) The concept of making America great again, (5) Anti-radical Muslim immigrants, (6) America First, and (7) Nationalism. The result of the study reveals that the speech brought some ideologies or thoughts shared to the audiences and might change the people’s perception on Obama’s two periods of presidency who is considered as failure.</em>


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-57
Author(s):  
Sidra Mahmood

Linguistically, the word ‘language’ has shifted into ‘discourse’ which is a social phenomenon not only to express the thoughts but also to reflect the mindset and contexts of a specific community. The purpose of this study is to examine the slogans written on Pakistani automobiles and to understand the logic behind the social and cultural affiliations of these slogans. Pakistani culture of the art of making pictures and written phrases, poetic verses and imperative sentences on vehicles is famous all over the world. The study has analysed the writings found on vehicles, and although these writings might look trivial on the automobiles, they address various social issues. The Three-Dimensional Model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) by Fairclough (2001) is used as a theoretical framework that explains the study at three levels: lexical, syntactic patterns, interpretations, and social practices. The discourses written on the vehicles are characterised into different categories, which are life’s mission statements, loud messages, mind baffling messages, everyday life annoyances, provoking statements, and religious looms. Twenty images and pictures have been captured from vehicles as a random sample of this study. The results reveal the mindset behind these discourses. They are used to highlight social issues which Pakistan faces, being a developing country. In short, the study discloses the strong link between the vehicles and the people using them to convey messages to the society which can bring harmony among the public. The current study is limited to only Pakistani motor vehicles.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 272-294
Author(s):  
Piotr Cap

Abstract The present paper explores the current nexus between Cognitive Linguistics (CL) and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), focusing on theories of conceptual positioning, distancing and perspective-taking in discourse space. It assesses the strengths, limitations, and prospects for further operationalization of positioning as a valid methodology in CDA, and political discourse studies in particular. In the first part, I review the cognitive models of positioning that have made the most significant contribution to CDA. Discussing Deictic Space Theory and Text World Theory, among others, I argue that these models reveal further theoretical potential which has not been exploited yet. While they offer a comprehensive and plausible account of how representations and ideologically charged worldviews are established, they fail to deliver a pragmatic explanation of how addressees are made to establish a worldview, in the service of speaker’s goals. The second part of the paper outlines Proximization Theory, a discursive model of crisis and conflict construction in political discourse. I argue that, unlike the other models, it fully captures the complex geopolitical and ideological positioning in political discourse space, providing a viable handle on the dynamics of conflict between the opposing ideologies of the space.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alaa’ G. Rababah ◽  
Jihad M. Hamdan

This study provides a contrastive critical discourse analysis of the speeches of the Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the United Nations General Assembly regarding the Gaza War (2014). The analysis explores the representation of the “Self” and the “Other” in relation to the war. Van Dijk’s ‘Ideological Square’ theory is adopted to explore the group polarization of Us versus Them dichotomy. Moreover Halliday’s Systematic Functional Grammar is utilized in the analysis to study how the polarization of the “Self” and “Other” is constructed via particular grammatical transitivity choices. The results indicated that the representation of the “Self” and “Other” in the speeches reflects two different opposing ideologically-governed perspectives on the Gaza conflict. Both speakers present the “Self” as ‘strong’, ‘human’ and ‘honorable’ in contrast to the “Other” that is deemed to be a ‘dire threat’ and an ‘agent of destruction’.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 482-511
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Dowaidar

AbstractThis study is an attempt to investigate medieval humor in the Ayyubid period (1171–1250). In a period of constant wars, terrible plagues, and turmoil, Ibn Mammātī wrote a pamphlet entitled Kitāb al-Fāshūsh fi Aḥkām Qarâqûsh (stupidity, or the decisions of Qarâqûsh). It is a small volume which contains words and actions that Qarâqûsh could have said or done. The book is written as an attempt to ridicule one of the most important political leaders of the Ayyubid state Emir Qarâqûsh Ibn ‘Abd Allāh al-Asadī (surnamed as Bah’āaddīn Qarâqûsh) (n.d. – April 1201). The book is so influential that historical facts are overshadowed, and overwhelmed by the humorous anecdotes that branded Qarâqûsh forever as a symbol of a lunatic tyrant. This manuscript, however, is believed to be one of the oldest books on political humor in the Egyptian history (Al-Najjār 1978: 56). Therefore, using a critical discourse analysis perspective, the study seeks to examine and analyze humor and jokes in selected anecdotes from Ibn Mammātī’s book. I have drawn upon the three-dimensional model of discourse analysis developed by Norman Fairclough (1992a, 1995a, 1995b, 2001, 2003). The study aims to prove that this pamphlet has been used in the entire Islamic world in different epochs as a defense mechanism against all the ruthless sultans, kings, rulers, and presidents. I claim that these jokes have served as a sort of recreation for the people, as a means of peaceful protest, and as a silent cry against oppression and tyranny.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dalia Abdelwahab Massoud Abdelwahab

Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is a modern branch of linguistics. The current study applies CDA to a televised speech of El-Sisi, the Egyptian president, on the 47th anniversary of October Victory in its English version. The study aims to reveal ideologies behind the publishing of the speech and its role in shaping the mentality of Egyptians. The researcher applies Fairclough’s (2014a) three-dimensional model. She also uses Halliday and Matthiessen’s (2014) metafunctions of systemic functional grammar (SFG) as the tool for analysis. The analysis is mainly qualitative. The research answers some questions. The first one is: ‘How the constructive ideologies are expressed through their linguistic structures and features in the English version of El-Sisi’s speech on the 47th of October victory ceremony?’ The second is ‘what is the explanation for including such confidential ideologies in the published English version of El-Sisi’s speech?’ A significant finding is that the delivered messages of the speech reflect some ideological orientations. The ideological orientations are affected and determined by the dominant social ideologies and the general orientation of institutions in Egypt. The study aims to help readers use their skills in analyzing any discourse systematically. The study also highlights the fundamental ideologies needed to direct Egyptians for the benefit of their country. Future researches can focus on the role of words in reflecting ideologies or the role of explicitation and implicitation techniques in conveying beliefs and confidential ideologies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 238-247
Author(s):  
Min Song

This study makes a Critical Discourse Analysis of the ecological and non-ecological features of Chinese English news reports and holds that news reports ultimately serves the interest groups it represents and cannot get rid of its ideological influence. To achieve this, with Fairclough’s three-dimensional model as the theoretical framework and from the perspective of ecolinguistics, this study, based on 29 English news reports on the northward migration of Asian elephants from China Daily and by building up a small corpus, combining qualitative and quantitative research methods, aims to analyze the selected corpus with the help of AntConc 3.5.9 (windows) 2020. Finally, through the analysis of text analysis, discourse interpretation, and social interpretation, it is found that Chinese and English news reports have ecological and non-ecological features. At the same time, English news reports in China also try to express and build a harmonious relationship between man and nature. It reflects that China follows the ecological order concept of “harmonious co-existence between man and nature” and the ecological basis of “man and nature are the community of life”.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
Dewi Hermawati Resminingayu

<p>Since terrorism in Indonesia was associated to Moslem extremists, news regarding Islam has been mostly associated with those two aspects. In results, the concern of researches related to Islam in media only focuses on terrorism issue. Providing this background, this research is aimed to raise the issue related to Moslems and the Chinese minority in Indonesia, specifically in the celebration of Chinese New Year 2013 which is associated with Islamic issue. The data of this research are two newspaper articles. The first article is written by a journalist working for Agence France Presse (AFP) as the foreign media. Meanwhile, the other is written by The Jakarta Post which is the national media. The pivotal theory applied in this research is Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) by Norman Fairclough. This theory comprises of two notions of analysis namely communicative event analysis and order of discourse analysis. Orientalism theory by Edward W. Said regarding the self and the other is also applied to analyze the socio-cultural context of the data. In this case, AFP represents the self, while The Jakarta Post is the other. After conducting thorough analysis, the findings disclose that the self represents Indonesian Islam negatively. In contrast, the other represents Indonesian Islam objectively</p>


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