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Article In: International Journal of Language and Culture: Online-First Articles

Conceptualizing the environment

Words as cultural lenses for seeing the world

 | Australian National University
 | Griffith University
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Abstract
This paper provides an overview of how the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (nsm) framework can contribute to environmental humanities. It emphasizes the centrality of key words in environmental discourses and explains what “nsm-enabled” lexical-conceptual semantics based on simple translatable words can offer in this respect. It also provides summary descriptions of each of the Special Issue’s in-depth case studies concerning five distinctive geographical locations — Finland, Greenland, China, Solomon Islands and Denmark.
Article outline
  • 1.Premises, aims and scope
  • 2.Semantic methodology and theory base
    • Semantic primes and their grammar
    • Semantic molecules
    • Semantic explications
    • Cultural scripts and related uses of nsm metalanguage
    • The minimal language approach
  • 3.Case studies
  • Acknowledgement
  • Notes
  • References
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