FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN CRISIS COMMUNICATION: A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF COVID-19 HEALTH MESSAGING

Abstract

The research investigates COVID-19 public health messaging uses of figurative language in three culturally different nations: The United Kingdom, India, and China. Using a qualitative discourse analysis model based on Conceptual Metaphor Theory, the study isolates and compares idioms and metaphors within official government announcements released during the pandemic. Findings indicate culturally differentiated framing of each nation's message strategy. Chinese rhetoric promoted collectivism and ideological allegiance, frequently using fear-driven and discipline-centered metaphors. Indian messages underlined unity, spiritual reassurance, and family responsibility, while UK messages emphasized personal responsibility and institutional trust. Figurative language was also discovered to play important functions in communication, such as increasing emotional appeal, facilitating instruction, and stimulating public compliance. This research contributes to sociolinguistics, crisis communication, and intercultural pragmatics and provides practical implications for linguists, health authorities, and policy makers who intend to design culturally appropriate and effective health communication strategies during global crises.