A Comparative Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis of the Representation of WHO on COVID-19

Abdelhamid, Hammam A.; Mazid, Bahaa-eddin M.; Abu-hassoub, Ahmed M.

doi:10.21608/ejlt.2025.421321.1118

A Comparative Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis of the Representation of WHO on COVID-19

Document Type : Research in linguistic and literary studies

Authors

¹ LTC, Faculty of Arts, Sohag University

² Prof of English Language, Deputy Chairman of Board of Directors Professor and Vice Dean for Graduate Studies

³ Department of English. Faculty of Languages. Sohag University. Sohag. Egypt

10.21608/ejlt.2025.421321.1118

Abstract

The present study aims to compare the discourse analysis of COVID-19 in the representations of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Offices. It applied the model of Machin and Mayr (2012), with its visual and linguistic toolkits, to four multimodal representations of COVID-19 from the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and three from the South-East Asia Regional Office. It utilized the comparative method. The results revealed that the individuals involved were represented in various capacities, including breadwinners, healthcare workers, nurses, and heroes. They were shown as offering their lives to protect others. However, they were portrayed as needing help and as being victims of discrimination. Comparatively, the topics represented by the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean focused mainly on smiling and taking care of others to stop the pandemic, while the representations of the South-East Asia Regional Office included stopping discrimination and highlighting unity. Furthermore, WHO, with its suboffices, was represented as the leading global health authority, especially in declaring pandemics and their treatment mechanisms. Finally, the threat was represented as terrifying in some cases, so people should have smiley eyes and wear masks not to let it slip through the cracks.

Keywords