LANGUAGE ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINBILTY: AN ECOLOGICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF PAKISTANI PRINT MEDIA ARTICLES

Abstract

The current study aims to highlight the environmental issues represented in Pakistani print media. The study seeks to sensitize people regarding the pivotal role of language in shaping the ideology of masses as to how ecological sustainability is significant for human existence and the way such dominant
narratives are materialized through media discourse. Media has the power to (re)frame the ideology of larger audience through significant visual/linguistic content that paves the way for social change through viable social institutions to a wider audience. For this purpose, purposive sampling technique has been
employed for data collection and five newspaper articles, published in Dawn, pertaining to ecological issues are taken into account for the analysis. The study follows theoretical model suggested by Stibbe (2015) in his book Language, Ecology and the Stories We Live By. The findings of the study suggest that
the environmental problems in Pakistani newspaper articles are referred to as ambivalent discourses that focus only on the environmental degradation and natural disasters with anthropocentric perspectives. Moreover, the discussion has demonstrated that conviction and salience are also incorporated to
propagate the ideas of ecosophy. However, they should be improved and their perspective should be broadened to incorporate the aspects of nature that, though not harmful for humans, are harmful for nature itself and the environment.