English, Polish, and Russian memes commenting on COVID-19: A pragmalinguistic analysis

Abstract

Internet memes make it easier to process and accept a difficult situation, they help to deal with stress or doubts and archive societal memories. The present paper is an attempt to analyse the similarities and differences between English, Polish and Russian memes reacting to the reality of the COVID-19 outbreak. The material was analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively in terms of form (a visual part alone, text alone, or both elements combined), their size (from short to extended), their function (informing, warning, entertaining, soothing etc.), the roles of the main characters (based on an extended Karpman drama triangle model). Attention was also paid to the message, if the elements are culture specific or intercultural. Finally, an attempt was made to reveal the pragmatic functions of memes under investigation, their probable intended message, possible effects on the receiver, and – from a wider perspective – what role they played in the COVID-19 discourse.