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Article published In: Corpus-Pragmatic Studies of Democratization in Public Discourses: New perspectives, methods and materials
Edited by Turo Hiltunen, Turo Vartiainen and Jenni Räikkönen
[Journal of Historical Pragmatics 25:2] 2024
► pp. 215–244

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A diachronic corpus-pragmatic approach to democratization

The evolution of newspaper editorials, 1860–1979

ORCiD logo with link | University of Vigo
ORCiD logo with link | University of Balearic Islands
Published online: 9 August 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jhp.00074.seo
Abstract
Democratization is often invoked as an explanatory factor for diachronic linguistic developments. We believe that at the root of democratization often lies the pragmatic negotiation of power relations, whereby a more democratic use of language can reduce the distance between addresser and addressee. This article examines the evolution of power relations in the New York Times editorials from 1860 to 1979 as represented in COHA. After a quantitative analysis of the evolution of three pragmatic variables that index democratization, the study offers a qualitative analysis with the aim of anchoring them to the situational context of newspaper editorials, especially regarding the power relations negotiated in this register over time. This paper also examines the impact of socio-historical events on the evolution of power relations and shows that they are intimately linked.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background
    • 2.1Modal and semi-modal verbs
    • 2.2Contractions
    • 2.3Passive voice
  • 3.Corpus, methodology and general results
    • 3.1(Semi-)modals
    • 3.2Contractions
    • 3.3Passives
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Modals and semi-modals
    • 4.2Contractions
    • 4.3Passives
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
  • Corpora
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