Disinformation—defined as the deliberate deception of the general public through the production and distribution of false information—has, in recent years, emerged as one of the central challenges confronting contemporary societies, particularly within the ecosystem of digital media and social networks. Although a substantial body of existing research has examined this phenomenon from communicative, political, or technological perspectives, the role of language and discourse in the production, legitimization, and persuasive impact of disinformation has received comparatively less systematic attention. The present article seeks, through a descriptive-analytical approach, to conceptualize disinformation as a linguistic and discursive phenomenon and to explore the potential of critical discourse analysis when integrated with language-based approaches for the study of fake news. To this end, it first reviews key conceptual definitions and distinctions relating to disinformation in contrast to misinformation and fake news, and critically surveys the international and Persian-language scholarship in this domain. It then draws on the language-based framework developed by Grieve and Woodfield (2023) and subjects a validated analytical sample to critical re-examination, demonstrating how linguistic features such as information density, certainty marking, and source-attribution patterns contribute to the perceived credibility of fake news and how these features become intertwined with power relations and ideology within the framework of critical discourse analysis. The article’s findings indicate that the integration of language-based analysis and critical discourse analysis can furnish a more cohesive framework for understanding disinformation in contemporary media. In conclusion, after discussing limitations, the article proposes avenues for future research—especially within the Persian language context.
Kheirabadi, R. & Kheirabadi, M. (2026). Disinformation and Fake News as a Linguistic-Discursive Phenomenon: A Critical Review of Language-Based Approaches and Critical Discourse Analysis. (e737603). Communication Research, 33(125), e737603 https://doi.org/10.22082/cr.2026.2086292.2907
MLA
Kheirabadi, R., & Kheirabadi, M. "Disinformation and Fake News as a Linguistic-Discursive Phenomenon: A Critical Review of Language-Based Approaches and Critical Discourse Analysis" .e737603 , Communication Research, 33, 125, 2026, e737603. doi: 10.22082/cr.2026.2086292.2907
HARVARD
Kheirabadi R., Kheirabadi M. (2026). 'Disinformation and Fake News as a Linguistic-Discursive Phenomenon: A Critical Review of Language-Based Approaches and Critical Discourse Analysis', Communication Research, 33(125), e737603. doi: 10.22082/cr.2026.2086292.2907
CHICAGO
R. Kheirabadi & M. Kheirabadi, "Disinformation and Fake News as a Linguistic-Discursive Phenomenon: A Critical Review of Language-Based Approaches and Critical Discourse Analysis," Communication Research, 33 125 (2026): e737603, doi: 10.22082/cr.2026.2086292.2907
VANCOUVER
Kheirabadi R., Kheirabadi M. Disinformation and Fake News as a Linguistic-Discursive Phenomenon: A Critical Review of Language-Based Approaches and Critical Discourse Analysis. Communication Research. 2026;33(125):e737603 (In Persian). doi: 10.22082/cr.2026.2086292.2907
