The language we speak amid COVID-19

Zhaohui Su; Francis Mungai Kaburu; Abdulswabul Kudiza; Ruijie Zhang; Chaojun Tong; Mehak Intizar; Jianlin Jiang; Xin Yu; Qiang Kuang; Ruru Chen; Dean McDonnell; Junaid Ahmed; Barry L. Bentley; Ali Cheshmehzangi; Sabina Šegalo; Jing Bao Nie; Claudimar Pereira da Veiga; Yu Tao Xiang

doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2025.02.004

The language we speak amid COVID-19

Zhaohui Su, Francis Mungai Kaburu, Abdulswabul Kudiza, Ruijie Zhang, Chaojun Tong, Mehak Intizar, Jianlin Jiang, Xin Yu, Qiang Kuang, Ruru Chen, Dean McDonnell, Junaid Ahmed, Barry L. Bentley, Ali Cheshmehzangi, Sabina Šegalo, Jing Bao Nie, Claudimar Pereira da Veiga, Yu Tao Xiang

Department of Architecture and Built Environment

Research output: Journal Publication › Comment/debate

Abstract

The language we speak shapes our perceptions of reality. In this paper, we shed light on the fact that by inventing and normalizing phrases such as the “UK variant”, “Chinese virus”, or the “Spanish flu”, along with the widespread use of war metaphors, we are not only endorsing narratives that could undermine international collaborations and deepen divisions within society, harming people's mental health, but also distracting the public's attention from the most important issue amid pandemics—how to stall or stem transmission in a timely matter. Furthermore, we also make a call to action for media professionals, health experts, and government officials to stop creating and popularizing discriminative terms related to COVID-19 and future outbreaks, so that we can reduce the divisions between societies and better focus on controlling pandemics.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	356-360
Number of pages	5
Journal	Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
Volume	126
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2025.02.004
Publication status	Published - May 2025

Keywords

COVID-19
Coronavirus
Disinformation
Health communication
Public health

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Immunology
Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
Behavioral Neuroscience

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.bbi.2025.02.004

Cite this

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title = "The language we speak amid COVID-19",

abstract = "The language we speak shapes our perceptions of reality. In this paper, we shed light on the fact that by inventing and normalizing phrases such as the “UK variant”, “Chinese virus”, or the “Spanish flu”, along with the widespread use of war metaphors, we are not only endorsing narratives that could undermine international collaborations and deepen divisions within society, harming people's mental health, but also distracting the public's attention from the most important issue amid pandemics—how to stall or stem transmission in a timely matter. Furthermore, we also make a call to action for media professionals, health experts, and government officials to stop creating and popularizing discriminative terms related to COVID-19 and future outbreaks, so that we can reduce the divisions between societies and better focus on controlling pandemics.",

keywords = "COVID-19, Coronavirus, Disinformation, Health communication, Public health",

author = "Zhaohui Su and Kaburu, {Francis Mungai} and Abdulswabul Kudiza and Ruijie Zhang and Chaojun Tong and Mehak Intizar and Jianlin Jiang and Xin Yu and Qiang Kuang and Ruru Chen and Dean McDonnell and Junaid Ahmed and Bentley, {Barry L.} and Ali Cheshmehzangi and Sabina {\v S}egalo and Nie, {Jing Bao} and {da Veiga}, {Claudimar Pereira} and Xiang, {Yu Tao}",

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year = "2025",

month = may,

doi = "10.1016/j.bbi.2025.02.004",

language = "English",

volume = "126",

pages = "356--360",

journal = "Brain, Behavior, and Immunity",

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AU - Su, Zhaohui

AU - Kaburu, Francis Mungai

AU - Kudiza, Abdulswabul

AU - Zhang, Ruijie

AU - Tong, Chaojun

AU - Intizar, Mehak

AU - Jiang, Jianlin

AU - Yu, Xin

AU - Kuang, Qiang

AU - Chen, Ruru

AU - McDonnell, Dean

AU - Ahmed, Junaid

AU - Bentley, Barry L.

AU - Cheshmehzangi, Ali

AU - Šegalo, Sabina

AU - Nie, Jing Bao

AU - da Veiga, Claudimar Pereira

AU - Xiang, Yu Tao

PY - 2025/5

Y1 - 2025/5

N2 - The language we speak shapes our perceptions of reality. In this paper, we shed light on the fact that by inventing and normalizing phrases such as the “UK variant”, “Chinese virus”, or the “Spanish flu”, along with the widespread use of war metaphors, we are not only endorsing narratives that could undermine international collaborations and deepen divisions within society, harming people's mental health, but also distracting the public's attention from the most important issue amid pandemics—how to stall or stem transmission in a timely matter. Furthermore, we also make a call to action for media professionals, health experts, and government officials to stop creating and popularizing discriminative terms related to COVID-19 and future outbreaks, so that we can reduce the divisions between societies and better focus on controlling pandemics.

AB - The language we speak shapes our perceptions of reality. In this paper, we shed light on the fact that by inventing and normalizing phrases such as the “UK variant”, “Chinese virus”, or the “Spanish flu”, along with the widespread use of war metaphors, we are not only endorsing narratives that could undermine international collaborations and deepen divisions within society, harming people's mental health, but also distracting the public's attention from the most important issue amid pandemics—how to stall or stem transmission in a timely matter. Furthermore, we also make a call to action for media professionals, health experts, and government officials to stop creating and popularizing discriminative terms related to COVID-19 and future outbreaks, so that we can reduce the divisions between societies and better focus on controlling pandemics.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Coronavirus

KW - Disinformation

KW - Health communication

KW - Public health

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U2 - 10.1016/j.bbi.2025.02.004

DO - 10.1016/j.bbi.2025.02.004

M3 - Comment/debate

C2 - 39904471

AN - SCOPUS:85219518216

SN - 0889-1591

VL - 126

SP - 356

EP - 360

JO - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

JF - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

ER -

The language we speak amid COVID-19

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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