Articles | Open Access |

SPEAKING OF CLIMATE: A LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION

Bradley Ncube , Department of Communication and Media Studies. Zimbabwe Open University. Zimbabwe

Abstract

Effective communication about climate change is critical in shaping public perception, influencing policy decisions, and driving collective action. This study explores the linguistic strategies used to communicate information on climate change, examining how language shapes the discourse surrounding this global issue. Through a detailed analysis of various communication channels, including media reports, scientific publications, policy documents, and social media, the study identifies key themes, framing techniques, and rhetorical devices that characterize climate change communication.

The research highlights the impact of language on public understanding and engagement with climate change, revealing how different linguistic approaches can either clarify the issue or contribute to confusion and polarization. The study also investigates the role of metaphor, narrative, and framing in conveying the urgency and complexity of climate change, as well as the challenges of communicating scientific uncertainty and risk.

By analyzing these linguistic elements, the study provides insights into the effectiveness of current communication strategies and offers recommendations for improving the clarity, accessibility, and impact of climate change communication. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how language influences the climate change narrative and underscore the importance of thoughtful and strategic communication in addressing this critical issue.

Keywords

Climate change, linguistic analysis, communication strategies

References

P. Borchert. AFRICA Geographic: Our Overheating Planet (Devonshire Court, Cape Town, 2007).

Chivaura and G. Mararike. The human Factor Development in Africa

Zimbabwe Publications, Mt. Pleasant, Harare, 1996).

C.T.A SPORE: Climate Change: Sharing Knowledge, Improving

Rural Livelihoods (South Africa, Cape Town, 2000).

L. Dow and G. Downing. Atlas of Climate Change. (Routledge, London, 2007). I. Deutscher. What we say/what we do (Glenview, Illinois, Scott Foreman, 1973).

P. Eubanks. Written Communication. Sage Publications 16 (2), 1992, 18-32.

N. Fairclough. Critical Discourse Analysis (Longman, London, 1992).

N. Fairclough. Language and Globalization (Rutledge, New York, 2008).

N. Fairclough. Language and Power (Longman, London, 1992).

R. Henson. THE ROUGH GUIDE to Climate Change. The Symptoms

The Science. The Solutions (Rough Guides Ltd, London, 2006).

L. Hoepful. Research Methods in Languages (Harper and Row, London, 1996).

B. Levinson. Pragmatics (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1983).

L. Mathews. Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1992).

G.A. Myers. The Pragmatics of Politeness in Scientific articles. Applied Linguistics, 1989, 10,-1-35.

Article Statistics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Copyright License

Download Citations

How to Cite

Bradley Ncube. (2024). SPEAKING OF CLIMATE: A LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Fundamentals, 4(09), 7–13. Retrieved from https://eipublication.com/index.php/jsshrf/article/view/2038