Environmental Journalism - Question of Language

Magdalena Steciąg

The paper concerns the linguistic projection of reality into environmental journalism, which determines its communicative potential. It is based on the argument suggested by eco-linguists according to which language itself has the capacity to naturalize and universalize ideology which in this way becomes an implicit and transparent element of the perception of language users. Among various ideologies which are particularly harmful for the environment both the ideology of growth as well as anthropocentrism occur to be of particular significance. The aim of the paper is to show how environmental journalists oppose these ideologies, and create a community of people who use non-violent language and who are sensitive to the issues related to the natural environment. The research is eco-linguistic in character and the material analyzed comes from 2005 and 2006 issues of 'Zielone Lubuskie', an ecological periodical for teenagers.

KEYWORDS

Environmental Journalism, Ecolinguistics, ideology of growth and anthropocentrism in language.