The Language

of Power:
Understanding
the Ideologies of
Institutions
Language of
Institutions and their
Respective Ideologies
The Language of Educational Institutions
The Language of Religious Institutions
The Language of Business Institutions
The Language of Legal Institutions
The Language of Media Institutions
INSTITUTIONS &
IDEOLOGIES
Institutions are the
backbone of any society.

The language used by these

institutions reflects their
respective ideologies.
The Language of
EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS
Educational institutions have a unique
responsibility to shape the minds of future
generations.
The language used in these institutions can
reflect their philosophy and approach to
education.
The Ideologies of
EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS
Progressivism
Essentialism
Social Reconstructionism
Perennialism
Behaviorism
Ideologies and Academic
Terminology
Progressivism - This ideology emphasizes the importance of
individuality, creativity, and experiential learning. In the
educational field, a progressive perspective may prioritize
student-centered learning, critical thinking, and problem-
solving.

Terms:
Thesis
Hypothesis
Methodology
Ideologies and Academic
Terminology
Essentialism - This ideology emphasizes the importance of
traditional academic subjects, such as math, science, and
literature. In the educational field, an essentialist perspective
may prioritize a strong core curriculum and a focus on
academic standards and assessments.

Terms:
Educational
Curriculum
Teacher/Professor
Student
Ideologies and Academic
Terminology
Social Reconstructionism - This ideology emphasizes the
importance of social justice and the need for educational
reform to address social problems. In the educational field, a
social reconstructionist perspective may prioritize
multicultural education, community-based learning, and the
promotion of democratic values.
Terms:
Critique
Reflection
Essay
Ideologies and Academic
Terminology
Perennialism - This ideology emphasizes the importance of
timeless ideas and values, such as truth, beauty, and
goodness. In the educational field, a perennialist perspective
may prioritize a strong liberal arts curriculum, a focus on
critical thinking, and the development of intellectual virtues.

Terms:
Theory
History
Fundamentals
Ideologies and Academic
Terminology
Behaviorism - This ideology emphasizes the importance of
observable behavior and the use of rewards and punishments
to shape behavior. In the educational field, a behaviorist
perspective may prioritize a focus on measurable outcomes, a
reliance on standardized tests, and the use of behavior
modification techniques.
Terms:
Honor Award
Detention
Gamification
It is also important to note that academic
terminology can vary depending on the
discipline such as Philosophy, Mathematics,
etc..
The Language of
RELIGIOUS
INSTITUTIONS
Religions play a significant role in
shaping cultural values and beliefs.
The language used in these institutions
reflect their respective religious
ideologies and can be deeply ingrained
in the culture of a society.
 The language of religious institutions refers to the
specific language and terminology used by religious
organizations and their members to communicate
and convey religious beliefs, values and practices.
This language often includes specific religious,
vocabulary, rituals, and traditions that are unique to
a particular faith or denomination.
The Ideologies of
RELIGIOUS
INSTITUTIONS
Fundamentalism
Liberalism
Mysticism
Ecumenism
Liberation Theology
Fundamentalism
This ideology emphasizes the importance of
adhering to a strict and literal interpretation of
religious texts and traditions. In religious institutions,
a fundamentalist perspective may prioritize
upholding traditional beliefs and practices and
resisting change or adaptation.
 For instance, some individuals who follow a
fundamentalist interpretation of Christianity
believe that the Bible is the literal word of God and
must be followed exactly as written. They may
reject scientific theories that contradict the Bible's
teachings, such as evolution, and may view other
religions or lifestyles as immoral or sinful.
Liberalism
This ideology emphasizes the importance of individual
freedom and tolerance, and may prioritize social justice
issues such as gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights. In
religious institutions, a liberal perspective may
prioritize inclusive and progressive interpretations of
religious texts, and may seek to adapt traditional
practices to contemporary social contexts.
 For instance, in the United States, the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination on the basis of
race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This was
a significant victory for liberalism, as it recognized
and protected the individual rights of all citizens,
ensuring that they would be treated fairly and
equally under the law.
Mysticism
This ideology emphasizes the importance of spiritual
experience and personal transformation, and may
prioritize individual spiritual growth over religious
dogma. In religious institutions, a mystical perspective
may prioritize practices such as meditation, prayer, and
contemplation, and may seek to cultivate a sense of
unity and interconnectedness with the divine.
One example of mysticism in Sufism is the practice of
dhikr, which involves the repetition of the names of
God. Through the constant repetition of these names,
the practitioner seeks to attain a state of spiritual
ecstasy, known as hal. In this state, the practitioner
feels a sense of oneness with God, and experiences a
deep spiritual connection.
Ecumenism
This ideology emphasizes the importance of
dialogue and cooperation between different
religious traditions, and may prioritize interfaith
relationships and understanding. In religious
institutions, an ecumenical perspective may
prioritize creating space for dialogue and
collaboration with other religious traditions.
 One example of ecumenism is a joint worship service or prayer
gathering where members of different Christian denominations
come together to worship and pray as one body. This might
involve using liturgy and music from different traditions and
sharing in the Eucharist or other sacraments. seeks to promote
greater understanding and unity among Christians, recognizing
the diversity of beliefs and practices while also celebrating the
shared faith that binds them together.
Liberation Theology
This ideology emphasizes the importance of social
justice and political activism, and may prioritize
addressing issues such as poverty, inequality, and
oppression. In religious institutions, a liberation
theology perspective may prioritize activism and
advocacy for marginalized communities, and may
see faith as a tool for social transformation.
One of the most notable expressions of this movement was
the creation of base ecclesial communities (CEBs) in Brazil.
CEBs are grassroots Christian communities that emerged in
the 1960s and 1970s as a response to the needs of the poor
and marginalized in Brazil. These communities were
inspired by the principles of liberation theology and sought
to empower ordinary people to take charge of their own
lives and communities.
Terms Used in Religious Institutions
The language used in these institutions can often
be steeped in tradition, and theology, making it
difficult for outsiders to understand.

Common terms used in religious institutions include:

sacrament
prayer
salvation
sin
The Language of
BUSINESS
INSTITUTIONS
The language used in business can
be persuasive and manipulative,
designed to influence consumer
behavior and maximize profits.
The Ideologies of
BUSINESS
INSTITUTIONS
Capitalism
Corporate Social Responsibility
Libertarianism
Environmentalism
Socialism
Terms used in Business Institutions
The language used in these institutions can often
be complex and technical.
COMMERCIAL PROFESSIONAL

INDUSTRIAL
Example 1:
Example 2:
Example 3:
The Language of
LEGAL INSTITUTIONS

The language used in legal

institutions is often complex
and technical, reflecting the
precision and rigor required by
the law.
The Ideologies of
LEGAL INSTITUTIONS

Liberalism
Conservatism
Feminism
Critical Race Theory
Marxism
Terms Used in Legal Institutions
The language of power extends beyond to the legal
sytstems. Legal language is often complex and
difficult to understand for those outside of the
profession.
Common terms used in legal
institutions include:
plaintiff
defendant
jurisdiction
appeal
precedent
The Language of
MEDIA INSTITUTIONS
Media institutions are responsible
for informing and shaping public
opinion.
The language used in media
institutions can reflect their political
biases and agendas.
The Ideologies of
MEDIA INSTITUTIONS
Liberalism
Conservatism
Marxism
Postmodernism
Neoliberalism
Terms Used in Media Institutions
Media can be considered one of the most powerful
institutions in modern society. It is important to
have a basic understanding of common
terms used in media.

Common terms used in media institutions

include:
bias
propaganda
sensationalism
spin
CONCLUSION
The language of power is a
complex and nuanced aspect
of institutional ideology.
By understanding the language of
power, we begin to deconstruct
these ideologies and challege
oppressive structures.
 A CORPUS-BASED CRITICAL
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF NEWS
REPORTS ON THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN CHINA
AND THE UK
International Journal of English Linguistics; Vol. 11, No. 2; 2021
ISSN 1923-869X E-ISSN 1923-8703
Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education
INTRODUCTION
ever since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China and
the UK have implemented mandatory lockdowns on April 8,
2020, and March 23, 2020, respectively, there were significant
differences in the effectiveness of epidemic prevention, as
evidenced by the fact that China quickly contained the spread of
the epidemic within a few months, while the number of
confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK has continued to increase.
INTRODUCTION
this study attempted to explore how the discourse of the
official English language media in China and
the UK affect public behavior and the process of the
epidemic. Comparative analysis has been adopted to
grasp the nature of the impact of distinct epidemic news
discourse, and thus, give enlightenment for the
effective use of news discourse in fighting against the
epidemic. Moreover, this study attempted to reveal how
news discourse was related to the ideological
differences of countries and thus might remind readers
of interpreting news with a critical and open mind.
INTRODUCTION
this study selected the official English language news
media in China and the UK, namely, China Daily and The
Guardian, as the source to build COVID-19-related corpora
from each medium’s first report of the COVID-19 to the last
piece of news when the lockdown was lifted. In addition,
the blocking time of each country was selected as the
demarcation in each corpus. To investigate the rationale of
different discourse found in the above comparison,
Fairclough’s three-dimensional model for critical
discourse analysis was taken as the theoretical framework
(1995).
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
gather and analyze the corpora from China Daily of China and
The Guardian of UK. Identify the Ideological Difference in the
Use of Language of Media in China and UK using Comparative
analysis.

CMC - China Media Corpus (January - April 2020)(China Daily)

UMC - UK Media Corpus (January - July 2020)(The Guardian)

Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis (CDA) model, it is

assumed that the discrepancies in the reports of COVID-19 can
reflect ideological differences and have explanatory power
inthe development of the COVID-19 in distinct countries.
METHODOLOGY
Utilized the CDA of Fairclough in their study. this
research used 3 stages; description, interpretation, and
explanation. the third stage“explanation”, means to
have an interpretation of the different discourse
characteristics related to the social backgrounds of
China and the UK, to reveal the hidden power, ideology,
and social and cultural factors in the social context.
After using CDA, the study utilized Comparative Analysis
to Identify differences in their Language and Ideology.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The study found that there is a significant difference
between The Guardian and China Daily in their Use of
Language and Ideology. The following Table shows the lists
of keywords in the News of both Media.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The UK Media - The Guardian
Highly Emphasizes Individualism and Political Perspective on
Restrictions. It is observed in the data that UK media frequently used
Government Related Words such as:

"Advice" - used to respect the freedom of people.

"Reopen" - used to indicate the severe economic situation. a call for
economic recovery.
"Restriction" - used to define the limit of freedom.
"Crisis" - Used to alert the public.

UK media described the epidemic in a comparatively negative manner.

Moreover, it had a high probability of causing pessimism and anxiety to
people.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The China Media - China Daily
Mainly emphasizes Authoritarianism which conveys Unity and
Cooperation. Shows a neutral and positive attitude in their news articles.

"Fight"
"Effort"
"Cooperation"
"Epidemic"

The words are highly Promoting International Cooperation. Chinese

media used more objective and neutral words to describe the epidemic
and words used in how to deal with the epidemic showed strong morale
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Statements from China Daily:

“lessons can be learned from China’s experience to help all countries

defeat this common enemy through awareness, responsibility, and
prompt action”

“Xi reiterated China’s advocacy of boosting global cooperation in

fighting the pandemic based on the vision of a community with a shared
future for mankind.”
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Statement from the Guardian:

"However, Despite the Government's Latest Advice, A 44-year-old mother

of two young children said 'I can't afford to not go to work. If I don't go, I can't
get paid."
CONCLUSIONS
First, by comparing the UMC and the CMC, it was found that
Chinese media used more objective and neutral words to
describe the epidemic and words used in how to deal with
the epidemic showed strong morale; whereas the UK media
described the epidemic in a comparatively negative manner.
CONCLUSIONS
Second, discourse characteristics of The Guardian and China
Daily before and after the lockdown reflected the changing
attitudes and actions toward the epidemic control between
the two countries, which also indirectly revealed two
countries’ ideological differences.
CONCLUSIONS
This finding reflected the differences between the
“harmonious” and “conflict” discourse modes of the Chinese
and UK media regarding emergencies, as well as the
ideological differences between the two countries.

An increasing use of “experience” and “cooperation” was

observed, which indicated that China has been consistently
sharing experience with other countries and calling for more
international cooperation.