A Review of Ecolinguistics: Paradigms, Developments, and Prospects

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jhet.202615220

Author(s)

Yuanxin Hu, Jiaping Kang*

Affiliation(s)

Xi’an International Studies University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

Ecolinguistics, emerging in the 1970s, has now become a highly dynamic field in linguistics. In simple terms, it primarily investigates the intricate relationships among language, users, and their surrounding environments. This article aims to trace the development of ecolinguistics, and clarify its two foundational paradigms: Einar Haugen’s metaphorical ecology of language paradigm and M.A.K. Halliday’s critical discourse paradigm. Additionally, the article systematically reviews the major achievements in core areas of the field, such as linguistic diversity, ecological discourse analysis, ecosophy, and multimodality and interdisciplinary applications. Over the years, the research direction of ecolinguistics has continuously evolved: theoretical construction has gradually shifted towards practical application, monomodal analysis is turning into multimodal integration, and the research focus has gradually expanded from focusing on the natural ecosystem to social ecosystems. Currently, scholars are actively seeking a unified theoretical framework to integrate various perspectives. Of course, the field also faces numerous challenges. Finally, the article provides an outlook on future trends.

Keywords

Ecolinguistics; Ecological Discourse Analysis; Ecology; Haugenian Paradigm; Hallidayan Paradigm

References

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