CONSTRUCTING CRISES: A CRITICAL LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF NEWS HEADLINES CONCERNING INFLATION, SOCIAL CRIMES, AND MORALITY

Abstract

This research paper looks at how news headlines in the mainstream media create a certain picture of inflation that can hurt everyday people and lead to serious crimes. It also shows how this can make people lose their sense of right and wrong. The researcher looked at recent news headlines using three different ways of analyzing language: how sentences are structured, how symbols and signs work, and how language is used in real situations. This study used Norman Fairclough’s micro level linguistic analysis to understand the structure of the sentences, meanings and contextual elaborations. News headlines often show a biased view of things, making social issues seem worse and making economic difficulties seem like something normal. Inflation can cause more problems in society and lead to more crime. The study found that the way morality depicted in the news splits, with economic crimes not being seen as political issues. The tough economic times connects with criminal behavior, the media can make people support strict punishments. This research shows the importance of understanding how language affects how people see economic problems and concepts of right or wrong in society.