A Study of the Bidirectional Causality Relationship Between English Language and Environment: Looking Through the Lens of Ecological Discourse Analysis (EDA)

Abstract

Ecolinguistics is the sub-field of Sociolinguistics which deals with language and environment. “Environment” has been highly acknowledged and studied with special reference to language because it is recognized that environment affects, shapes and reshapes language in situations and circumstances where it is used. Likewise, it is quintessentially true that language also highly affects environment in many ways. Therefore, these effects and influencing mechanisms between language and environment make it imperative to investigate bidirectional causality relationships between the two i.e., language and environment. In order to enunciate these relations between language and environment data are taken from one of the leading Pakistani English Newspapers “DAWN” for the analysis of English language through the lens of Ecological Discourse Analysis (EDA). Furthermore, from the chosen newspaper selected opinions and editorial pages are analyzed from the perspective of Ecological Discourse analysis (EDA) in order to unfold socio-cultural, economic, ideological and political stories established in environment through English language. In this study qualitative paradigm is followed. For data analysis and interpretation Stibbe’s (2015, 2019 and 2022) evaluation model and appraisal patterns are used in order to explore, expand and extend the bidirectional causality relationships between English language and environment. The study revealed that there is crisscross and bidirectional relationship between English language and environment. They (English language and environment) are intrinsically and intricately interlocked. Therefore, they are considered inseparable in nature i.e., they are feeding one another in multifarious ways especially, environment in all its colours and shapes bring varieties to English language when it is used in context(s) i.e., also called language environment and ecosystem. Based on the major findings of this research study it could be suggested and recommended for further researches conducted in future to study English language from the perspective of environment and environment from the perspective of English language while using various research methods, techniques, data analysis procedures and approaches along with Ecological Discourse Analysis (EDA).