Temporal Deixis and the Pragmatics of Crisis Communication in the Film Don’t Look Up

Abstract

This study investigates the pragmatic functions of temporal deixis within the framework of crisis communication in the satirical film Don’t Look Up (2021). While traditional deictic analysis primarily focuses on spatio-temporal orientation, this paper explores how temporal expressions act as crucial pragmatic tools to construct linguistic urgency, anxiety, and institutional friction during a global catastrophic event. Utilizing a qualitative descriptive research design and Levinson’s (1983) framework of deixis, the data were extracted from selected dialogues in the film script where scientific warnings conflict with political and media indifference. The findings reveal that temporal deictic expressions, such as “now,” “six months,” and “tomorrow,” go beyond neutral time-pointing. Instead, they serve as markers of urgency and rhetorical manipulation. The imminent comet threat is systematically framed through conflicting temporal references. The precise and urgent timelines of the scientists are continuously countered by the delayed schedules of political figures and the distracting broadcast windows of media networks. This study concludes that in satirical media, temporal deixis functions as a primary linguistic tool to expose the breakdown of institutional crisis communication and the strategic distortion of objective urgency. Ultimately, understanding these deictic mechanisms reveals broader socio-political implications, demonstrating how linguistic framing in crisis messaging can be weaponized to maintain institutional power at the expense of public safety.