Da “gripezinha” à pandemia: tensionamentos discursivos em torno da COVID-191

Abstract

The present study, supported by the French Discourse Analysis, investigates how COVID-19 is (re)meant by different social actors. To this end, the different nominations of the COVID-19 crisis are focused, with an emphasis on polemic according to the postulates of Amossy (2017) and Maingueneau (2005) interactions in political and scientific discourse, materialized in media supports from each field. A methodological approach was established in the dichotomization between the terms “pandemic” and “littele flu”. In order to debate the effects of meanings and ideological issues related to each discursive use. Data collection was carried out on the Informa-SUS, Agência FAPESP, Folha de S. Paulo and Portal R7 websites. The discursive paths analyzed the (dis)continuities between each use and polemic and polarized relations around the senses in the management of each term. It is concluded that the pandemic situation caused tensions in the different areas of communication and that each discursive use of the different terms analyzed marks a strong change in meaning. Evidencing distinct, dichotomous and even polarized ideological-political positions, reinforcing, on the one hand, the negationist discourse and, on the other, the recognition of a crisis much wider and deeper than just sanitary.