Role of Transitivity in Constructing Discursive Relations in Pronominal Networks Within Crisis Discourse

Abstract

Guided by the principles of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and Halliday’s model of transitivity, the study investigates how leaders’ use of language represents their ideologies and positions regarding various entities during the crisis at both macro and microlevels of discourse. This research proposes a discursive approach to analyzing the pragmatic meaning of pronominal-verb-process networks and how these networks contribute to constructing the ideologies of the leader and relations with various entities. This work focuses on the COVID-19 address delivered by former President Donald Trump. The analysis of the address revealed that Trump exploited pronouns in verb-process networks to express ideologies, relationships, and oppositions. He utilized pronoun–verb collocations to construct and reconstruct discursive relations with the American people, his administration, Europeans, and Chinese entities and actively used pronouns to evoke nationalism, resulting in polarizing language. The analysis also revealed that leaders may simultaneously face challenges of power that lead them to use dichotomous language against the people to enhance their political power in mandating adherence to prevention guidelines.