This study examines the linguistic patterns in over 1500 speeches delivered by US state governors during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzing over 4 million words, the researchers investigated the relationship between COVID-19 case rates and the semantic, grammatical, and linguistic complexity of these speeches. Results show that as cases rose, governors used stricter language, more negation, and more extreme adjectives. At the peak of surges, word length and syllable count decreased, potentially reflecting a stress response. This research highlights how crisis intensity influences the language used by political leaders in public health communication.

Benjamin J. Mandl, Ben Y. Reis