PRAGMA-COMMUNICATIVE ASPECT OF THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II SPEECH ON THE CORONAVIRUS PROBLEMS, 05.04.2020

Abstract

The following work is devoted to problems of the Queen Elizabeth II coronavirus discourse pragmatic features. The Queen Elizabeth II coronavirus discourse is defined in the given work as a special address of Queen Elizabeth II to the nation – the UK and the Commonwealth realm citizens – on the urgent problems of the coronavirus pandemic. The given address is the fifth special address of Queen Elizabeth II to the nation during her 68-year reign. It is stressed that the given discourse is organized by Queen Elizabeth II with the purpose to support the people at the challenging time of coronavirus, to calm them down, to explain the situation and to direct them to be strong, patient and supportive to each other, to be united as a nation to overcome the problems of the coronavirus disease. It is pointed out that extra-linguistic factors of the addressor’s dress color, of the addressor’s manners, of the situation layout, of the video and photo materials usage, of the image plan are used to realize the purposes of the Queen Elizabeth II coronavirus discourse. It is stated that with the strategic argumentative purpose the Queen Elizabeth II coronavirus discourse is characterized by usage of the argumentative technique, the manipulative techniques of story-telling and of the deictic fields usage. It is stressed that a system of valid arguments of Her Majesty and Her strong belief in overcoming the coronavirus pandemic makes the people of the UK and Commonwealth realm believe the same idea. It is pointed out that the usage of the story-telling technique within the Queen Elizabeth II coronavirus discourse makes it possible to transform the individual story of Queen Elizabeth II into a national, global story with happy end at the final part of it in the form of overcoming the coronavirus disease and returning back to the norms of every-day life. It is underlined that the usage of the mechanisms of layering, stratification of the deictic field as well as the usage of the universal deictic fields makes it possible to realize the aims of Her Majesty coronavirus discourse. It is pointed out that the manipulative techniques are used by Queen Elizabeth II not to receive her own benefits of their usage but to influence people in their special state: state of shock and despair, state of panic.