Crisis Management Language during COVID-19: A Corpus-Assisted Analysis of Malaysian Prime Minister’s Discourse

Crises, particularly those that are unprecedented, present significant challenges for leaders. COVID-19 that has been aptly described as a 'perfect storm,' pushed leaders worldwide to their limits, forcing them to adapt new policies and reflect on their crisis management language. This paper investigates the language used by a Malaysian Prime Minister during COVID-19 by adopting a corpus-assisted discourse analysis approach. Through examining press releases, the analysis highlights how language is utilized as a tool of governance during a time of crisis as demonstrated by the Prime Minister. Aristotle's persuasive rhetoric theory was adopted to discuss the persuasive strategies used by the leader. This research explores persuasion in crisis communication and leadership, drawing on existing linguistic studies. Different language strategies were identified and categorised in this paper according to three themes, namely i) explicit coercive narrative, ii) legitimising action of the government and iii) diplomacy narrative via appealing and endearing expressions. One of the strategies includes the use of negation to show definiteness. Additionally, the use of active voice in the phrase ‘kerajaan akan (the government will)’, arguably functions to legitimise the action taken by the government. The use of endearing terms was also prominent, highlighting the strategy of maintaining low power distance and increasing a sense of familiarity. This study contributes to our understanding of the power of language used by a national leader in shaping public discourse by looking at the detailed examination of persuasive language strategies employed during a crisis. This study may provide valuable insights for future leaders and government spokespersons regarding the most effective language to employ when addressing the public during times of crisis.