Shaping sustainable perceptions: The role of metaphors in Olympic news discourse

The dissemination of sustainable development concepts in large international events like the Olympics has garnered great attention. As a major international sports event, the Beijing Winter Olympics served as an important platform for showcasing China’s susta…
Joaquin Pfannerstill · 3 months ago · 2 minutes read


Shaping Sustainable Perceptions: The Role of Metaphors in Olympic News Discourse

Metaphors in the News Coverage of the Beijing Winter Olympics

The Beijing Winter Olympics became a platform for China to showcase its progress towards sustainable development, with news media playing a crucial role in shaping public perceptions through the use of metaphors.

  • Social

    Metaphors emphasized fairness, diversity, and unity, fostering harmonious coexistence.

  • Economic

    Metaphors highlighted resource recycling, innovation, and industrial transformation, reflecting economic sustainability.

  • Ecological

    Metaphors stressed environmental protection and ecological balance, reinforcing the significance of nature conservation.

Framework for Critical Metaphor Analysis of Sustainable Development

To analyze metaphors, this study developed a multidimensional framework based on Cognitive Linguistics and Critical Discourse Analysis:

  • Metaphor identification
  • Interpretation of cognitive mappings
  • Explanation of social functions (policy advocacy, ideology, cultural values, public participation)

Methodological Approach

News reports from "People's Daily," "China Daily," and "Xinhua Net" covering the Beijing Winter Olympics were analyzed using corpus linguistics and grounded theory to identify and categorize metaphors based on their social, economic, and ecological sub-themes.

Conclusion

Metaphors play a multifaceted role in news discourse by:

  • Enriching language and fostering public understanding
  • Shaping policy directions, conveying ideologies, and communicating cultural values
  • Encouraging public participation and supporting sustainable development goals

This study provides insights for effective sustainable communication strategies and contributes to the growing body of research on the role of metaphors in news coverage of major international events. Future research can explore the multidimensional social functions of metaphors through empirical validation and investigate the impact of new media on the dissemination of sustainable development concepts.