190 research outputs found

    Teksttype og polyfoni

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    There is a general scepticism as to definitions of text types based on determined lin-guistic criteria. The subject of this article is to show how it is possible to strengthen the linguistic basis of text typologies. After a description of the evolution of text typology from Werlich (1976) via van Dijk (1980) to Adam (1992), linguistic polyphony is presented as a contribution to a linguistic foundation of AdamĂ­s prototypical typology. It is shown how the polyphonic structure can describe, make explicit and explain ty-pological text features

    Climate change lifestyle narratives among Norwegian citizens: A linguistic analysis of survey discourse

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    The present study proposes an analysis of climate change (CC) narratives in answers to an open-ended survey question, where we ask what a climate-friendly lifestyle may imply. The representative survey has been conducted online by the Norwegian Citizen Panel/DIGSSCORE, located at the University of Bergen. The survey provided 1,149 answers from respondents across Norway. The analysis combines a lexical and a text linguistic approach (Flþttum & Gjerstad, 2017), based on Adam's (2008) analysis of the narrative text sequence (initial situation–complication–(re)action–resolution–final situation), and inspired by the Narrative Policy Framework's (NPF) notions of plot and narrative characters (Jones et al., 2014). Our analysis identified four main topics: consumption, transportation, politics, and energy, while the cast of characters is dominated by the first-person singular, frequently portrayed as hero, and the first-person plural in a predominantly villainous role. The frequent use of negation and argumentative connectives reflects the contentious nature of the issue.publishedVersio

    Semantiske relasjoner i reformulering

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    The object of study in this article is the analysis of microsemantic aspects of the reformulation sequence signalled by c'est-à-dire in written French. The aim of the work presented is to explain what language users do when producing reformulations and to clarify the relation between form and function in such operations. Five types of semantic relationships between the reformulated and the reformulating segments are introduced. These constitute the basis of a typology of reformulation functions. The article underlines the explanatory role of the semantic component in a global modular approach of the reformulation, where structural, pragmatic and textual factors are also considered

    IPCC communicative practices: A linguistic comparison of the Summary for Policymakers 2007 and 2013

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    The present paper undertakes an analysis of language use in two so-called Summaries for policymakers (SPMs), published as part of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Assessment Reports 4 (AR4, 2007) and 5 (AR5, 2013). Through a comparative analysis, we investigate how scientific claims are conveyed through expressions indicating various levels of (un)certainty, through scalar systems established by the IPCC to indicate levels of likelihood, confidence and evidence, as well as through non-predefined linguistic means. We also consider to what extent contrasted claims may indicate a difference in argumentative emphasis in the two summaries, without diverging from the overall purpose of the IPCC: to present a consensual view on current climate knowledge. Further, the analysis assumes a textual perspective, investigating to what extent the summaries have a narrative structure with a clear storyline. The results show that, generally, the two SPMs adhere to the expressed purpose of the IPCC. However, there are differences indicating a strengthened basis for scientific certainty in the AR5-SPM. The narrative analysis discusses the lack of explicit reactions to the stated complications. The findings also point towards the need for further analyses to assess the reception of text layout and language use by policymakers.publishedVersio

    Explaining topic prevalence in answers to open-ended survey questions about climate change

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    Citizens’ opinions are crucial for action on climate change, but are, owing to the complexity of the issue, diverse and potentially unformed1. We contribute to the understanding of public views on climate change and to knowledge needed by decision-makers by using a new approach to analyse answers to the open survey question ‘what comes to mind when you hear the words ‘climate change’?’. We apply automated text analysis, specifically structural topic modelling2, which induces distinct topics based on the relative frequencies of the words used in 2,115 responses. From these data, originating from the new, nationally representative Norwegian Citizen Panel, four distinct topics emerge: Weather/Ice, Future/Impact, Money/Consumption and Attribution. We find that Norwegians emphasize societal aspects of climate change more than do respondents in previous US and UK studies3, 4, 5, 6. Furthermore, variables that explain variation in closed questions, such as gender and education, yield different and surprising results when employed to explain variation in what respondents emphasize. Finally, the sharp distinction between scepticism and acceptance of conventional climate science, often seen in previous studies, blurs in many textual responses as scepticism frequently turns into ambivalence.acceptedVersio

    A linguistic framework for studying voices and positions in the climate debate

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    The public debate on the highly contested issue of climate change is characterized by a multitude of voices as well as position taking by the social actors involved. Studies involving the climate issue have emanated from many fields, notably media science. To date, few linguistics-based studies on climate-related newspaper texts have been undertaken. This paper presents a theoretical framework – the Scandinavian theory of linguistic polyphony – which we argue is particularly well suited to analyze contested issues. To demonstrate how the theory can be operationalized, we present a case study involving four texts from The Guardian. Linguistic polyphony rests on the assumption that all texts are multivoiced. The case study focuses on the interaction of the journalist’s voice and external voices, and considers the extent to which implicit (hidden) voices are present in the analyzed texts. The analysis reveals a complex interaction of different voices, integrated in the journalist’s own argumentation and positioning.publishedVersio

    Climate change as a corporate strategy issue: A discourse analysis of three climate reports from the energy sector

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    Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how energy companies discursively construct climate change when integrating it into their overall business strategy. Design/methodology/approach – This linguistic study uses a quantitative/qualitative approach to investigate three instances of recent climate disclosure, climate strategy reports, by the energy majors Statoil (now Equinor), Suncor Energy and Total. The qualitative analysis focuses on how keywords and expressions function in their immediate linguistic context. The discussion takes the socio-political and business context of the companies into account. Findings – The paper finds that the reports discursively construct climate change in different ways. Total presents climate change primarily as a responsibility the company is ready to take on; Suncor Energy presents it primarily as a business risk; and Statoil as a business opportunity. In the material as a whole, however, the risk representation is the most prevalent. Research limitations/implications – The material is relatively modest; however, the three reports represent the first comprehensive accounts of how energy players fit climate considerations into their overall strategy. The analysis is based on three search terms (responsibility, risk and opportunity). Further studies should include a broader range of words that may be semantically related to each approach. Practical implications – The study can inform corporate strategy discussions and indicate the rhetorical implications of discourse-related choices in climate disclosure. Originality/value – The study deals with very recent corporate disclosure involving an emerging discourse, climate strategy reporting. As the reports represent responses to investor engagement, the findings should also be relevant for studies involving stakeholder perceptions.acceptedVersio

    Linguistic and discursive perspectives on the circulation of the climate change discourse

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    In the debates on climate change – one of the great global challenges, we observe a development where various discourses are constructed, often based on divergent understandings of the phenomenon as well as of its consequences. Climate change has in fact moved from being a predominantly physical phenomenon to become political, social, ethical, cultural and communicational; a phenomenon which is now explained and discussed in discourses circulating between science, traditional and new media, policymakers, nongovernmental organisations and the public. In this circulation, the role of the language becomes primordial. The present article is divided in two main parts. First, I study the issue of different linguistic representations of climate change, in particular the representation of uncertainty, an inherent trait of climate change. Through an analysis, mainly in a polyphonic perspective, of the document « Summary for policymakers » from 2007, published by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), I give an overview of various linguistic expressions. These expressions contribute in different ways to focus on uncertainties, but also to implicitly represent the numerous points of view existing in the climate change debate. Second, I adopt a more discursive perspective, claiming that the notion of narrativisation contributes to a better understanding of the many “stories” produced in relation to this topic. In this part, the analyses are based on documents taken from two institutions attached to the United Nations.Dans les dĂ©bats portant sur le changement climatique – un des grands dĂ©fis du monde actuel –, nous observons la multiplication de discours fondĂ©s sur des comprĂ©hensions souvent trĂšs diffĂ©rentes du phĂ©nomĂšne et de ses consĂ©quences. D’un phĂ©nomĂšne principalement physique, le changement climatique s’est en effet transformĂ© en un phĂ©nomĂšne politique, social, Ă©thique, culturel et communicationnel, se manifestant dans des discours qui circulent entre science, mĂ©dias traditionnels et nouveaux, dĂ©cideurs de diffĂ©rentes catĂ©gories, organisations non-gouvernementales et grand public. Dans cette circulation, le rĂŽle du langage devient primordial. En premier lieu, j’aborde la problĂ©matique des diffĂ©rentes reprĂ©sentations linguistiques du phĂ©nomĂšne du changement climatique, dont la reprĂ©sentation de l’incertitude, trait inhĂ©rent au climat. A travers une Ă©tude du document « RĂ©sumĂ© Ă  l’intention des dĂ©cideurs » de 2007, publiĂ© par le GIEC (Groupe d’Experts Intergouvernemental sur l’Evolution du Climat), je donne un aperçu d’une sĂ©lection de diffĂ©rents moyens linguistiques utilisĂ©s dans une approche polyphonique – des expressions contribuant de diffĂ©rentes maniĂšres Ă  attirer l’attention sur les incertitudes, mais aussi Ă  reprĂ©senter implicitement les nombreux points de vue qui existent dans le dĂ©bat en question. En second lieu, j’adopte une perspective plus discursive, en soutenant que la notion de narrativisation contribue Ă  une meilleure comprĂ©hension des nombreuses « histoires » qui se produisent autour de cette thĂ©matique. Dans cette partie, les analyses sont basĂ©es sur des documents provenant de deux institutions situĂ©es au sein de l’Organisation des Nations Unies.publishedVersio

    Linguistic mediation of climate change discourse

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    For several decades, the natural sciences have documented causes and effects of climate change, with all its complexity and inherent uncertainty. This global challenge is one of the most pressing issues facing humanity today. However, the current debate reveals some discrepancies between the claims and evidence presented by climate sciences and the “stories” circulating in the media, among politicians and ordinary citizens. In this, language plays a crucial role. In this article, different linguistic and discursive features frequently used in climate change discourse will be discussed. First, the issue will be approached through various linguistic representations, in particular expressions of uncertainty, taken from documents by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). Second, a more discursive perspective will be adopted, arguing that the notion of narrative may contribute to a better understanding of the multiple “stories” which are constructed about the issue. In this part, the analyses will mainly be based on materials of political nature.Depuis plusieurs annĂ©es, les sciences de la vie et de la terre ont identifiĂ© les causes et effets du changement climatique, mettant en Ă©vidence la complexitĂ© de ce phĂ©nomĂšne et les incertitudes qui lui sont associĂ©es. Ce dĂ©fi global est un des problĂšmes les plus sĂ©rieux de l’humanitĂ©. Cependant, le dĂ©bat actuel rĂ©vĂšle des divergences entre les rĂ©sultats prĂ©sentĂ©s par les sciences du climat et les « histoires » circulant dans les mĂ©dias, chez les politiciens et dans le grand public. Dans cette situation, le langage joue un rĂŽle fondamental. Dans le prĂ©sent article, des faits linguistiques et discursifs utilisĂ©s dans le discours portant sur le changement climatique sont discutĂ©s. La problĂ©matique est abordĂ©e en premier Ă  travers diverses reprĂ©sentations linguistiques, notamment des expressions d’incertitude, repĂ©rĂ©es dans les documents de l’IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ; GIEC en français). Ensuite, une perspective plus discursive est explorĂ©e, dans une argumentation soutenant que la notion de « narrativisation » pourra contribuer Ă  une meilleure comprĂ©hension des multiples « histoires » qui sont construites. Dans cette partie, les analyses sont principalement fondĂ©es sur des documents produits dans la sphĂšre politique.publishedVersio

    Le changement climatique en discours

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    En 2010, Brigitte Nerlich et ses collĂšgues affirmaient : « Investigations of climate change communication cannot avoid attending to the role of language. » (Nerlich et al., 2010 : 103). Depuis ce message programmatique, les Ă©tudes du discours portant sur le changement climatique et l’environnement ne cessent de croĂźtre en nombre (FlĂžttum, 2016), et cela dans des perspectives diffĂ©rentes – aussi bien sur des reprĂ©sentations linguistiques par des acteurs divers que sur des interprĂ©tations faite..
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