Discursive Image of the Police at the Time of Epidemic of Coronavirus

Abstract

The following research demonstrates the analysis of clauses used by the Chief of Police, General Jarosław Szymczyk, during an interview which created the discursive image of the police at the time of epidemic of coronavirus. The aim of the article was to provide an answer to the following questions: which clause type dominates in the interview, how particular clauses construe the discursive image of police and whether the created image is positive or not. Such questions required a study which draws on the ideational clause type analysis described in Michael Halliday’s theory of Systemic Functional Grammar. The application of the aforementioned allowed to conclude the following. Material clauses, which are the most numerous, were used to convey a dynamic and professional image of the police which, although had to struggle with the epidemy of coronavirus, is able to continue its work. Relational clauses were used to depict the police as an institution that is prepared to fight with the coronavirus epidemy and additionally to present that there are close bonds between police officers. Verbal clauses were used to depict police officers as caring and interested in people. Mental and behavioural clauses were used to show that the police work in a rational way. Existential clauses were used to present events in which the police offices took part. All in all, it was concluded that the discursive image created by General Szymczyk is a positive one.

Keywords

• discursive image
• police
• halliday
• functional grammar