How country names legitimize economic nationalism: a critical discourse analysis

Abstract

This research presents a critical metaphor and metonymy analysis of how country names in economic reports on trade disputes serves as carriers of nationalist ideology and tools of public persuasion. Adapting Critical Metaphor Analysis (Charteris-Black 2004, 2018), this research analyzes the linguistic, conceptual and communicative level of the metaphoric and metonymic use of ‘China’ and ‘Australia’ in Australian media coverage of a high-profile transnational business deal. A consistent pattern of country for company metonymy and country is a person metaphor was identified to naturalize nationalist ideology in the business domain. The strategic use of these metonyms and metaphors can strengthen the argument by diverting attention from crucial facts, confusing business and political entities, and imposing national stereotypes. This study highlights how country names, as linguistic signifier of banal nationalism, provide the rhetorical foundation for mobilizing hot nationalism and support nationalist arguments and actions during trade disputes.

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