Monografico_6_EN_Doxa_31_The_Digital_Ecosystem

According to Table 1,‘Common characteristics of the vocabulary relating to the COVID-19 disease disseminated on digital platforms’, the term desconfinamiento is an analogous euphemism.

5. Use contexts

These three euphemisms coined during the COVID-19 pandemic are by and large those that have appeared most frequently on digital platforms. For instance, the verb confinar (to confine) is among the most searched for, according to the news section of the online version of the DLE (https://www.rae.es/noticias/las-palabras-mas-buscadas-en-el-diccionario-durante-la-cuarentena).

As will be seen below, the three euphemisms analysed here are used in different online communicative and news contexts, also with the possibility of being shared on Twitter and Facebook or via WhatsApp, for which reason the scope of their dissemination via the digital ecosystem has multiplied exponentially.

Table 6. Online communicative contexts in which the three euphemisms are used

Healthcare context

www.sjdhospitalbarcelona.org/es (27/05/20): ‘Lockdown easing: information for the families of patients with autism spectrum disorders on “How to cope with going out during lockdown easing which, in a staggered manner, is being implemented throughout the county”.’ Available at: https://www.sjdhospitalbarcelona.org/es/desconfinamiento-informacion-para-las-familias-pacientes-con-un-trastorno-del-espectro-del-autismo

Scientific-university context

Salvador, A. (21/04/20): ‘A psychologist addressing lockdown easing for children: “Returning progressively to a ‘normalised’ situation can provide them with substantial benefits”.’ Available at: https://www.noticiascyl.com/t/1935441/valladolid-todo-valladolid-entrevista-psicologa-sobre-desconfinamiento-ninos-acercamiento-progresivo-situacion-normalizada-puede-aportar-beneficios-notables

www.udima.es (24/06/2020): ‘New normality or how COVID-19 has taken hold of our language.’ Available at: https://www.udima.es/es/articulo-covid-se-apodera-del-lenguaje-por-josep-miracle.html

Political context

Sánchez Hidalgo, E. and Álvarez, C. (29/04/20): ‘These are the four stages of lockdown easing passed by the Spanish government. Each stage will last a minimum of two weeks, whereby Pedro Sánchez envisages that the country will be able to return to normal before the end of June.’ Available at: https://elpais.com/sociedad/2020-04-28/estas-son-las-cuatro-fases-para-volver-a-la-normalidad-aprobadas-por-el-gobierno.html

Innerarity, D. (01/06/20): ‘Lockdown easing or risk management.’ Available at: https://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.eus/opinion/tribuna-abierta/2020/06/01/desconfinamiento-o-gestion-riesgo/1033886.html

Communicative-metalinguistic context

ABC (04/05/20): ‘The RAE is studying the possibility of including words and expressions like lockdown easing, coronavirus and lockdown lifting in the dictionary.’ Available at: https://www.abc.es/cultura/abci-estudia-incorporar-diccionario-palabras-como-desescalada-coronavirus-o-desconfinamiento-202005042157_video.html

Pérez de Tudela, A. (05/05/20): ‘Lockdown easing.’ Available at:

https://www.diariojaen.es/opinion/articulistas/desconfinamiento-JD7104957

Camps, M. (01/05/20): ‘These are the words relating to the pandemic whose inclusion in the dictionary the RAE is considering.’ Available at: https://www.lavanguardia.com/cultura/20200501/48874892519/reyes-rae-pleno-academico.html

Sports contexts

https://www.marca.com/ (21/04/20): ‘Lockdown easing: from unrecommendable to valid for the RAE in two weeks.’ Available at: https://www.marca.com/tiramillas/2020/04/21/5e9eb40f46163ff3918b45b2.html

Source: own elaboration