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Pandemic metaphors in expert discourse

Norwegian public health officials’ use of metaphors during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2022

 | University of Bergen
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Abstract
Metaphors are communicative resources that facilitate discussions about complex phenomena such as epidemiology. Simultaneously, they serve as strategic tools employed to establish legitimacy for certain actions while delegitimizing others. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, metaphors were frequently utilized, and this article analyzes how Norwegian public health officials metaphorically conceptualized two key terms — ‘smitte’ (contagion) and ‘virus’ — during their participation in a Norwegian debate program. An adapted version of Purposeful Metaphor Theory ( (2018). Analysing Political Speeches: Rhetoric, Discourse and Metaphor (Second ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar) is employed to illustrate how metaphors serve various purposes. The analysis demonstrates that many of the metaphors used do more than merely explain epidemiology. Thus, the article argues that although the official role of health authorities was to explain and advise the government, their metaphors also aim to establish legitimacy for their perspectives on pandemic management.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theory
  • 3.Literature review
  • 4.Material and methods
  • 5.Analysis
    • 5.1Contagion
      • 5.1.1contagion as object
      • 5.1.2contagion as force
      • 5.1.3contagion as traceable entity
      • 5.1.4contagion as moving waters
    • 5.2Virus
      • 5.2.1virus as a human being
      • 5.2.2virus as an animal
      • 5.2.3virus as a fire/weed
  • 6.Discussion
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
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