POLITIČKI MITOVI U KOMUNIKACIJI NA DRUŠTVENIM MREŽAMA TOKOM ZDRAVSTVENE KRIZE U REPUBLICI ITALIJI 2020. GODINE: ANALIZA POJMOVNIH METAFORA
POLITICAL MYTHS IN COMMUNICATION ON SOCIAL NETWORKS DURING THE HEALTH CRISIS IN THE REPUBLIC OF ITALY IN 2020. ANALYSIS OF CONCEPTUAL METAPHORS

Summary/Abstract: In this paper we analyze conceptual metaphors used in social network communication. We focus on conceptual metaphors regarding the Covid-19 epidemics in Facebook status updates of the Italian minister of foreign affairs Luigi de Maio. Using a cognitive linguistics approach to text and based on the Conceptual Metaphor Theory we analyze five metaphors: orientational metaphors, as well as the CURING THE VIRUS IS WAR, THE STATE IS A PROTECTOR, and FIGHTING THE VIRUS IS A GAME metaphors. Our main goal is to analyze the ways in which conceptual metaphors manifest and what their political goal is. We hypothesize that conceptual metaphors, seeing as we analyze a specific type of political discourse, are a part of a political machinery whose goal is the promotion of a single political party. Our research shows that conceptual metaphors have an ideological and a political purpose; further more they are completely adequate for the creation of political myths. The results of this paper can be further used in research on the analysis of (political) discourse, specific analysis of conceptual metaphors, and in more detailed research on the communication about the 2020 Coronavirus outbreak.

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