2024/2 PBI Introduction to Linguistics

Theoretical Lenses and Analytical Methodologies in Ecolinguistics

Ecolinguistics uses a strong set of theories and methods to investigate how language impacts our environment.

The "Stories We Live By": Uncovering Worldviews through Language

A core concept in ecolinguistics, developed by Arran Stibbe, is the idea of "stories we live by." These are mental models shared within a society that profoundly influence how humans perceive, think about, communicate, and act in relation to ecosystems. Ecolinguistics uses careful linguistic analysis to reveal these often unconscious "stories," which appear "between the lines" of everyday texts like news, advertisements, and conversations. Stibbe identifies eight, and more recently nine (including narrative), types of these stories: ideology, framing, metaphor, evaluation, identity, conviction, salience, and erasure.

Eco-critical Discourse Analysis (ECDA): Deconstructing Environmental Narratives

Eco-critical Discourse Analysis (ECDA) is a significant methodological pillar of ecolinguistics. It adapts Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine the complex relationships between humans and ecological systems. ECDA aims to identify linguistic elements that hinder harmonious human-nature development and encourage reflection and action on ecological crises. It uses a "description-explication-explanation" methodology to analyze discourses, classifying them as beneficial, ambiguous, or destructive based on their alignment with an ecological philosophy.

The Power of Metaphor and Framing in Ecological Discourse

Metaphor and framing are fundamental concepts in ecolinguistics that heavily influence environmental discourse.

• Metaphors create new understandings and perspectives about the environment. For example, "climate change as a war" conveys urgency, while "climate change as an economic opportunity" highlights benefits.

• Framing dictates how environmental information is presented and interpreted. For instance, representing "nature as a machine" can foster a utilitarian view, while "nature as a living being" cultivates a more nurturing attitude.

The Role of Cognitive Linguistics in Ecolinguistic Analysis

Ecolinguistics integrates theories from cognitive science to understand how humans perceive, categorize, and conceptualize their environment. Cognitive linguistics suggests that cognition involves the human body's interactions with the environment for adaptation, survival, and reproduction. Maturana and Varela's "biocognitive theory" posits that living systems are inherently "studying systems" and that life itself is a process of cognition, directly linking cognitive processes to ecological adaptation. From an ecolinguistic perspective, meaning is the crucial link connecting mental representations of interactions with both verbal and non-verbal objects in the human mind.

Ecolinguistics and Environmental Philosophy (Ecosophy)

Ecolinguistics operates within a normative framework guided by an "ecological philosophy" or "ecosophy." This ecosophy is rooted in a scientific understanding of ecological interdependence and an ethical framework that defines whose survival and flourishing hold moral significance.

A significant influence is Deep Ecology, which argues that the living environment has intrinsic moral and legal rights to exist and thrive, independent of human utility. Deep Ecology advocates for an eco-centric (Earth-centered) worldview, rejecting anthropocentric (human-centered) narratives that promote human supremacy and exploitation of nature. This philosophical basis is essential for evaluating whether the "stories we live by" protect or damage ecosystems.

The ethical dimension of ecolinguistics sets it apart. It's not just descriptive linguistic analysis; it explicitly evaluates "stories we live by" against an ecosophy informed by environmental philosophies like Deep Ecology, asserting the intrinsic value of all life. The field's objectives are to challenge "destructive stories" and develop "beneficial new stories." This active, prescriptive stance, focusing on advocating for "other-directed social movements" that consider non-human subjects and future generations, transcends traditional linguistic analysis. This makes ecolinguistics an ethically committed and applied field, aiming to intervene in societal narratives to foster sustainable human-environment relationships and promote social and ecological justice.

Synergistic Interplay of Critical and Cognitive Approaches

Ecolinguistics synergistically combines Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and Cognitive Linguistics.

• CDA exposes power dynamics, biases, and hidden assumptions in environmental discourse, revealing how language reinforces dominant narratives.

• Cognitive Linguistics, especially through "stories we live by," delves into the underlying mental models and cognitive structures that shape perception and behavior towards the environment.

This integrated approach allows ecolinguistics to achieve a profound level of analysis. It can deconstruct problematic environmental narratives through its critical lens and simultaneously understand the deeper cognitive roots that give rise to these narratives. This dual perspective empowers the field to propose more effective, psychologically resonant, and culturally sensitive alternatives for promoting ecological awareness and change, addressing fundamental patterns of thought beyond superficial linguistic fixes.

The core theoretical frameworks are summarized in the table below: