1. Definition of Ecolinguistics
Ecolinguistics is an interdisciplinary field that explores the relationship between language, ecology, and society. It studies how language shapes, reflects, and influences human interactions with the natural environment. Originating in the 1990s from the ecological turn in linguistics, ecolinguistics seeks to understand how discourses either support or undermine ecological sustainability.
According to Arran Stibbe (2015, 2021), ecolinguistics examines the stories we live by—the deep narratives, metaphors, and ideologies embedded in language that affect how people perceive and act toward the environment. It is both analytical (describing linguistic patterns) and ethical (evaluating whether these patterns contribute to ecological wellbeing).
2. Focus and Scope of Ecolinguistics
Ecolinguistics integrates linguistic analysis with ecological and cultural awareness. Its focus and scope can be described through several dimensions:
| Focus Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Ecological Discourse Analysis | Investigates how texts construct relationships between humans, other species, and the environment. |
| Critical Ecolinguistics | Evaluates whether language promotes ecological harmony or ecological destruction, often guided by Stibbe’s (2021) framework. |
| Cultural Ecology of Language | Explores how linguistic expressions embody ecological wisdom and cultural values (e.g., in indigenous or local traditions). |
| Deictic and Semiotic Perspectives | Examines spatial, temporal, and personal deixis in representing ecological relationships. |
| Language and Identity | Studies how ecological identity and belonging are linguistically constructed (drawing on Kramsch’s view of language as symbolic of culture). |
Thus, the scope of ecolinguistics extends from media discourse, policy texts, and advertisements to works of art and literature, which function as powerful reflections of ecological ideology.
3. Examples of Ecolinguistic Analysis in Works of Art
a. Poetry
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Example: William Wordsworth’s “Lines Written in Early Spring”
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Analysis: Through transitivity and appraisal analysis, the poem’s language reveals harmony between human and nature but also laments human alienation. The ecolinguistic reading exposes the contrast between anthropocentric and ecocentric worldviews.
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b. Short Stories
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Example: Ken Liu’s “The Paper Menagerie”
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Analysis: The story’s use of metaphor and symbolism shows the loss of connection between human culture and natural materials (paper animals as living ecology). Ecolinguistics uncovers how modernity and linguistic assimilation destroy ecological empathy and identity.
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c. Novels
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Example: George Orwell’s Animal Farm (Ecolinguistic Deixis Analysis)
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Analysis: Spatial deixis like “in the farmhouse” and “on the farm” represent ideological control and ecological disconnection. Temporal deixis such as “from that day onwards” marks the manipulation of natural cycles. Language thus constructs ecological alienation and loss of communal harmony.
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d. Drama
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Example: Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People
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Analysis: Through dialogue and conflict, ecolinguistic analysis reveals how discourse of economic progress suppresses environmental truth. The play becomes a critique of industrial discourse that prioritizes profit over ecological health.
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4. Theoretical Contributions of Ecolinguistics
| Aspect | Theoretical Contribution |
|---|---|
| Critical Framework | Provides a normative dimension to linguistics—evaluating language ethically in relation to environmental sustainability. |
| Integration of Disciplines | Bridges linguistics, ecology, philosophy, and cultural studies, enriching both environmental humanities and language studies. |
| New Analytical Tools | Introduces frameworks like Stibbe’s Story Types (destructive vs. beneficial stories) and Ecosophy (a guiding ecological philosophy). |
| Reconceptualizing Language | Redefines language as an ecological system—a living part of the environment, not merely a social construct. |
| Empowerment for Change | Encourages eco-awareness and activism through critical reading and writing, making literature a site for ecological transformation. |
5. Summary
In short, ecolinguistics studies how language constructs ecological relationships, offering a critical perspective on how texts shape environmental understanding. Applied to art and literature, it helps uncover underlying ecological ideologies—whether they promote care, alienation, or destruction of the natural world—while contributing theoretically to the ethical and ecological expansion of linguistic inquiry.
