Linguistic Devices and Meaning Significations in Covid -19 Safety Precaution Signs

Abstract

Corona Virus Pandemic (Covid-19) is a scourge whose impact has been felt across the world since its emergence in the global space. Over the years, there has been extant studies relating to Corona Virus and these studies examined different perspectives which include Critical Discourse Analysis, pragma-semiotics and stylistics discourse. However, insufficient scholarly attention has been given to the linguistic analysis and meaning significations of Covid-19 safety precaution signs. This study, therefore, examined the linguistic devices and meaning significations in Covid-19 safety precaution signs.

The Covid-19 safety precaution sign photographs were subjected to a qualitative analysis using Roland Barthes (1998) which laid emphasis on meaning of linguistic elements. Ten Covid-19 Safety precaution sign photographs were purposively selected for their richness in communicating meaning and the most suitable research design employed for this study to attain the study objectives is descriptive.

Results of the analysis revealed that the verbal mode of signification in the safety precaution signs are words, phrases and sentences. Findings showed that, the message are easy to read and understood because most of the sentences are short. The typographic features such as upper case, lower case, bold type were used as instructional guidelines on how to curb and contain the spread of the virus (COVID-19). Verbal mode of signification meaning according to the findings revealed that, the linguistic elements communicatively perform informative, cautionary and collaborative functions in order to persuade the people to support the fight against the spread of Covid-19.

Roland Barthes approach and how meaning is negotiated in the selected safety precaution signs has given room for social interaction between the producer of the health protocol and the readers. It is recommended that, the Government needs to create adequate enlightenment, an easily accessible media and not only photographs, during the period of crisis as it will help speedily spread the message to the public so as to prepare them fight and survive crisis.