Figurative Language Used by Australian Facebookers During COVID-19 Pandemic

This study investigated the metaphorical speech acts used by Australian commentators on Facebook during COVID-19. The sample contained 50 comments that were analyzed qualitatively. adopted Searle taxonomy of acts, namely, directive, assertive, expressive, commissive, and declarative. helped in identifying different functions acts. Moreover, Austin act forms, locutionary, illocutionary, perlocutionary, was adopted. findings revealed most common types metaphors war conflict metaphors, followed psychological status irony metaphors. found commonly forms commentators. is alignment with literature also highlights how advent a crisis, such as COVID-19, results excessive use militarized while expressive least form COVID-19 pandemic.