A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF FOUR BRITISH NEWSPAPERS’ ARTICLES

Abstract

This research is about a critical investigation of the language used in online news to report “Brexit” event. By analyzing four online newspapers articles, which are published by two of the most popular national and local British news outlets: “The Daily Express” and “The Guardian”. The purpose of this study, is to understand how the words chosen by the journalists contribute to create particular meanings, or representations of the event; and if through these representations any hidden ideologies are put forward. The analysis of this research is generally qualitative depending on observation, and also quantitative in some areas. The framework used to carry out the research is by adopting two main models of Critical Discourse Analysis. First, Fairclough’s Sociocultural approach; whereas the second is Van Dijk’s Socio-cognitive approach. Findings reveal that both papers’ reports create polarity of positive in-group and negative out-group ideologies through many discursive strategies which include positive and negative labeling, depersonalization, evidentiality, dramatization and disclaimer.