A Critical Discourse Analysis toward “Trump Defends calling coronavirus ‘Chinese

virus’ – ‘it’s not racist at all’ in CNBC.com

Deni Kurniawan
19178008

English Language Department

Universitas Negeri Padang
Kota Padang, 25171, Indonesia
denik30032019@gmai.com

Abstract

Nowdays, almost all over the world are facing Corona virus pandemic. At March
2020, the world was shocked by the news about the statement President of the USA, Donal
Trump, calling coronavirus ‘Chinese virus’. It became headline news in many post and TV
stations. Some of them blaimed and said that was a bad statement. On the other hand, an
online post in USA, CNBC.com, clarified what was really happening. The aim of the research
was to analyse how The CNBC reported the news about Trump’s statement about Chinese
virus at White House Press conference. The data of this research taken from an online post,
CNBC.com“Trump Defends calling coronavirus ‘Chinese virus’ – ‘it’s not racist at all’,
posted by Dan Mangan in CNB.com on 03/18/2020 and updated on 03/18/2020. A critical
discourse analysis (CDA) framework of Norman Fairclough was used to analyse this post.
There were three levels of analysis; description, interpretation, and explanation. The results
showed that CNB really agreed with the people who blamed Trump’s statement and people
misinterpreted about the news. The news was aimed to clarify and tell people that
coronavirus is not chinese virus but virus came from animal not from human being.

Key Words: CDA, Trump’statement, Corona virus, CNBC

1. Introduction

Nowdays, almost all over the world are facing Corona virus pandemic. Corona Virus
has spread rapidly to more than 121 countries and regions in the world. Although the cure
rate of this disease is more than half the number of infected cases, the new Corona-type virus
that was first discovered in Wuhan has killed over 4,000. On Wednesday 11 March 2020, the
World Health Organization (WHO) states that a new Corona type virus causes Covid-19 to be
a global pandemic. According to CNN, the corona virus is a large group of viruses that are
common among animals. Viruses can cause respiratory diseases similar to ordinary flu.
Symptoms include colds, cough, sore throat, headache, and possibly fever that lasts for a few
days. Here's the timeline of Corona virus outbreak since it was first identified in Wuhan,
reported from CNN and Aljazeera: December 31, 2019 cases of pneumonia detected in
Wuhan, China was first reported to the WHO. During this reported period, the virus is not yet
known. These cases occurred between December 12-29. 1 January 2020 Chinese health
authorities shut down the Huanan seafood wholesale market after it was discovered that the
wild animals sold there were probably a source of viruses. January 5, 2020 China announces
that the case of unknown pneumonia in Wuhan is not SARS or MERS. In a statement, Wuhan
City Health Commission mentions, a retrospective investigation of the outbreak has begun.
January 7, 2020 the Chinese authorities confirmed that they had identified the virus as a new
corona virus, originally by the WHO was referred to as COVID-19.
At March 2020, the world was shocked by the news about the president of the USA,
Donal Trump, calling coronavirus ‘Chinese virus’. It became headline news in many post and
TV stations. Some of them blaim and said that was a bad statement.
From those phenomena, it was interesting to analyse how a media reported the news
about Trump’s statement. The data of the research was taken from an online post,
CNBC.COM (see Appendix). The post chosen because it is one of the best posts in reporting
news about politics in the USA and also in the world. This post was also one of the media
that give negative responds about Trump’s statement. This research was aimed to give a
critical analysis about how CNBC post reported the news about Trump’s statement about
‘Chinese Virus’ in White House press conference. The framework used to analyse the news
was CDA (Critical Discourse Analysis) framework of Norman Fairclough. The framework
was chosen because it is more detail than others.

2. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA)

Discourse could be a combination of propositions that declared through associate

music. Johnstone (2002: 2) aforementioned that discourse is that the primary issue of
communication used because the medium to provide ideas associated classified as an
uncountable noun. Additionally, discourse is required to be analyzed so as to induce the idea
of it. In analyzing discourse, there are some ways that to be done; one in every of them could
be a important discourse analysis. van Dijk (2001: 352) explained that a important discourse
analysis could be a quite discourse analysis analysis finding out concerning the misuse of
social power, authority, and difference that's created, imitated, and controverted by the text
and spoken within the context of social and politics. Phillips (2002: 64) added that an
important discourse analysis doesn't see a discourse as politically neutral however it's used as
critical approach that's politically affected into social modification. On the opposite hand,
Fairclough (1995: 97) divided 3 levels of important discourse analysis; text description,
interpretation of the connection of text and discursive method that's productive and
informative, and explanat-ion of the connection of discursive and social life process.

Fairclough (1989: 110-66) terminated that on the amount of description, there are 3
things ought to be described; vocabulary, grammar, and matter structure. Then, on the
interpretation level, the 3 levels ought to be understood are context, the discourse kind, and
variations and changes. The last level is explaining social factors, the ideology, and
influences. These 3 levels are extremely vital in obtaining the appraisal of discourse. If one in
every of them wasn't analysed, the analysis might not be important. Blommaert (2005: 30)
declared that supported the 3 levels of CDA Fairclough, the amount of description is
concentrated on matter linguistic options. The analysis on the interpretation level observes
the participants comprehension supported the speculation, social, and beliefs sources.
Describing social theory to declare ideology was done on the reason level.

From the statement above, it are often over that a researcher views the text as one
thing that has context whether or not it's text productions, text consumptions, or socio-
cultural practices. Thus, to grasp discourse, context can not be excluded. The 3 levels of CDA
Fairclough are thus necessary in obtaining the critical appraisal of discourse. If a scientist will
do a important description, interpretation, and clarification, the results of the analysis are
going to be nice and extremely important.

3. Discussion

Based on the three levels of critical discourse analysis Fairclough, here are the results
of the analysis of the news “Trump defends calling coronavirus ‘Chinese virus’-‘it’s not
racist at all’ in CNBC.Com.

3.1 Description

3.1.1 Vocabulary

In the news, there were some repetitions like “Chinese virus”. Then, in the quotations
of the reporter, there were also some repetitions such as blamed and spreading. In addition,
there were two word repeated many times that are never and very.

3.1.2 Grammar

From the text, the sentences were formed in direct and indirect speech. The direct
speech came from the quotations of the writer in the news of Trump’s statement. From the
sentences, the sentence patterns used were actions (S+V+O), events (S+V), and attributions
(S+V+Adv).

Many sentences or clauses were formed in positive and active forms. There were only
one was formed in negative (Trump was asked about his persistent use of the term despite
health officials saying that ethnicity does not cause the virus ) and one clause was formed in
passive (it was when Trump was inaugurated in January 2017). All sentences were also
declarative. There were some modalities used such as may, can, and could. Grammatical
features which had expressive values were not found in the text.

3.1.3 Textual Structure

The text consisted of the writer’s opinions and the quotations of the some people who
blamed Trump and the quotations from trump. The writer’s opinions were the monologue
text; meanwhile, the some people who blamed they quotations looked from their Twitter.

The first paragraph told about the statement from Trump. The second paragraph showed that
there was statemnt from one of reporter who blamed Trump’s statement. Then, there were
some counter statement from Twitter that tryied to blamed Trump’s statement about called
coronavirus ‘Chinese Virus’.

3.2 Interpretation

3.2.1 Context

Situational and intertextual context in the text were two kinds of context should be
interpreted in the text. First, in the situational context, there were some activities and issues
such as the spreading of the news about Trump’s defends calling coronavirus, the writers’s
declaration, and the media’s reports about the picture and video statement from Donal Trump
at White house press conference.

Second, in the intertextual context, many other media and people blamed Trump
because he said Coronavirus is ‘Chinese virus’. Some of them said that coronavirus is not
came from human being and also racism won’t stop a virus. It made Trump’s statement
become negative. On the other hand, many people in social media like Twitter made status
blamed and dissapointed about Trump’s staement, because that’s not a solution and Trump’s
was wrong about his statement also Trump’s statment was racism.

3.2.2 Discourse Type

Blamed, spreading, and ‘Chinese virus’ were three vocabularies that got attention
with. Blamed was dissapointed and anger about Trump’s statement becasue coronavirus is
not Chinese Virus. From the structure of the sentences, there was one agent who was focused
on that was the writer. The news aimed to tell the readers what was really happening.

Furthermore, it can be concluded that the structure of the text and the main idea talked
about the disappointment of the Trump’s statement about coronavirus and people who
blamed Trump.

3.2.3 Difference and Change

From the interpretation of the context and discourse type, if the participants were the
Trump’s supporters they might have different interpretation about it. The interpretation
changed because they had different perception.

3.3 Explanation

3.3.1 Ideologies

Ideologies are ideas or the ways of a dominant group in seeing something and
addressed to other people. From the way of the news writer report the news in The CNBC
clearly corresponded to the Trump’s statement. He wants to support people’s argument about
Trump’s staments.

3.3.2 Effects
 Based on the text, the writer wanted to influence the readers to insult Trump about his
statement. He tried to convince the readers by quoting words from Twitter who people
balmed Trump’s statement. Furthermore, He wanted to keep a positive image about
coronavirus that not Chinese Virus and to warm Trump in stating arguments about an issue
because Trump who is so popular in the world.

4. Conclusion

From the analysis above, it can be concluded that the way of The CNBC reported the
news about Trump’s statement ‘Chinese virus’ in White House press conference talk about
pandemic. The words were quoted, described, and added by some information to be complete
news. The CNBC really agreed with the people who blamed Trump’s statement and people
misinterpreted about the news. The news was aimed to clarify and tell people that
coronavirus is not chinese virus but virus came from animal not from human being.

REFRENCES

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/18/coronavirus-criticism-trump-defends-saying-chinese-virus.html

https://www.kompas.com/tren/read/2020/03/12/113008565/timeline-wabah-virus-corona-
terdeteksi-pada-desember-2019-hingga-jadi

J. Blommaert, Discourse, Cambridge: Cambrid-ge University Press, 2005.

N. Fairclough, Language and Power, London: Longman, 1989.

N. Fairclough, Critical Discourse Analysis: The Critical Study of Language, London:

Longman, 1995.

B. Johnstone, Discourse Analysis, Massachu-setts: Blackwell Publishers, 2002.

L. Phillips and M. W. Jorgensen, Discourse Analysis as Theory and Method, London: TJ

International Ltd, 2002.

T. A. van Dijk, Critical Discourse Analysis, in The Handbook of Discourse Analysis, D.

Tannen, D. Schriffrin and H. Hamilton, eds. Oxford: Blackwell, 2001.

Appendix

Trump defends calling

coronavirus ‘Chinese
virus’ — ‘it’s not racist
at all’
P UBL I S HE D W E D, MAR 18 202012:53 PM EDT UPDATED WED, MAR 18 20204:33 PM EDT

KEY POINTS
President Donald Trump defended his habit of calling coronavirus the “Chinese
virus.”

“It’s not racist at all,” Trump said at a White House press conference to discuss the
coronavirus pandemic.

China has called Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s use of the term “Wuhan virus”
and others’ use of the term Chinese virus a “despicable practice.”

President Donald Trump on Wednesday defended his habit of calling coronavirus the

“Chinese virus.”

“It’s not racist at all,” Trump said at a White House press conference to discuss the
coronavirus pandemic. “No, not at all.”

Trump was asked about his persistent use of the term despite health officials saying that
ethnicity does not cause the virus — and reports that dozens of incidents of bias against
Chinese-Americans who have been blamed for allegedly spreading the coronavirus.

“Because it comes from China,” Trump told the reporter who asked the question. “That’s
why.”

“I want to be accurate.”

The coronavirus pandemic originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

The White House’s Twitter account later Wednesday noted that a number of past pandemics
had been known by the places where they originated, or where they were believed to have
originated.

“Spanish Flu. West Nile Virus. Zika. Ebola. All named for places. Before the media’s fake
outrage, even CNN called it ‘Chinese Coronavirus,’ the White House tweeted. “Those trying
to divide us must stop rooting for America to fail and give Americans real info they need to
get through the crisis.”

Trump also said Wednesday that Chinese government officials originally “tried to say at
one point — maybe they stopped saying now — that it was caused by American
soldiers.” The New York Times said Friday that a baseless conspiracy theory is circulating in
China that U.S. soldiers who visited Wuhan last fall may have sparked the outbreak.

“That can’t happen. It’s not going to happen. Not as long as I’m president,” Trump said
of the theory.

“It comes from China,” the president repeated about the virus.

Asked about Trump’s use of the term, Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of World Health
Organization’s emergencies program, said: “Viruses no know borders and they don’t care
about your ethnicity, the color of your skin or how much money you have in the bank.”

“So it’s really important we be careful in the language we use lest it lead to the profiling of
individuals associated with the virus,” Ryan said.

On Tuesday, a day before the press conference, CBS News White House correspondent
Weijia Jiang, who was born in China, tweeted that, “This morning a White House official
referred to #Coronavirus as the ‘Kung-Flu’ to my face.”

“Makes me wonder what they’re calling it behind my back,” Jiang added.

The director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert Redfield,
said last week he agreed with Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., who asked him if it was “absolutely
wrong and inappropriate to call this the Chinese coronavirus.”

China has strongly objected to the use of the term “Chinese virus,” calling it “a despicable
practice.”

Trump has repeatedly called coronavirus the “Chinese virus” on Twitter, including in a
tweet announcing his press conference Wednesday.

In another tweet Wednesday, Trump wrote, “I always treated the Chinese Virus very
seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early
decision to close the “borders” from China - against the wishes of almost all. Many lives
were saved. The Fake News new narrative is disgraceful & false!”

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called coronavirus the “Wuhan virus” during recent
public appearances. 

China Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang criticized Pompeo by name and

other unnamed U.S. politicians for using such terms last week.

“We condemn the despicable practice of individual U.S. politicians eagerly stigmatizing
China and Wuhan by association with the novel coronavirus, disrespecting science and
WHO,” Geng said at a press briefing.

“The international society has a fair judgment, and Pompeo’s attempts of slandering China’s
efforts in combating the epidemic is doomed to fail.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the leading contender for the Democratic presidential
nomination, blasted Trump last week for using the term when the president tied it to his call
for a border wall with Mexico.

“A wall won’t stop a virus. Racism won’t stop a virus. Do your job,” Biden tweeted.

Despite his current criticism of China, Trump said in January he believed that Chinese
President Xi Jinping and health officials in that country would tell authorities around the
world everything they needed to know about the virus.

Losses on U.S. stock market indexes accelerated as Trump spoke at the press conference. The
New York Stock Exchange at one point halted trading as the Dow Jones Industrial Average
fell to a level below to what it was when Trump was inaugurated in January 2017.

Later in the press conference, Trump was asked if he believes that China has inflicted the
coronavirus on the United States.

“No, I don’t believe they’re inflicting,” he said.

But, Trump added, “I think they could have given us a lot earlier notice” about the outbreak
of the virus in the city of Wuhan.

Trump announced earlier Wednesday that he and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
had agreed to temporarily close their nations’ joint border, the longest in the world, to
nonessential traffic in a bid to slow the spread of the pandemic.

As of Wednesday, there have been more than 210,000 cases worldwide of coronavirus, with
more than 8,000 deaths. Cases in China topped 81,000. The United States has had nearly
6,500 reported cases and at least 114 deaths.

Source:

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/18/coronavirus-criticism-trump-defends-saying-chinese-virus.html

Accessed on the 15th May 2020 at 19:30 WIB.