Abstracts - Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa

FLORIAN HISS, UNIVERSITY OF TROMSØENDANGERMENT DISCOURSE: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF METAPHOR ANDLEXICOGRAMMATICAL CHOICESIn the present study, I analyse the means of meaning making that are employed inlanguage endangerment discourse for positioning different languages, negotiatingattitudes and values, and accounting for past and future actions. The study is partof a larger project that focuses on language revitalisation (in the case of Sámi inNorway) as a communicative process.I analyse how references to language are represented in transitivity structure, andhow lexical metaphor is used in a number of newspaper articles on the situation ofSámi.On the one hand, the analysis of the lexicogrammatical realisation of references tolanguage reveals a practice in endangerment discourse that has often beencriticized (eg. Blommaert 2001; Duchêne and Heller 2007). On the other hand,bringing in metaphor analysis, we see that transitivity interacts with the choice oflexical metaphors. Taking into account both choices in lexicogrammar, and thepotential of metaphor to connect different texts and discourses (e.g. bringingtogether language and biodiversity discourse: language is endangered, languagedies out), the analysis gives explanations on the mechanisms and practices ofendangerment discourse and sheds new light on established criticisms.The choice of metaphor allows for a multitude of lexicogrammatical choices –choices that are needed in the discursive encounter with complex problems oflanguage and society.ReferencesBlommaert, Jan. 2001. The asmara declaration as a sociolinguistic problem: Reflections onscholarship and linguistic rights. Journal of Sociolinguistics 5(1). 131-155.Duchêne, Alexandre and Monica Heller (eds.) (2007). Discourses of endangerment. Ideologyand interest in the defence of languages. London: Continuum.PAPER SESSION 3C - ROOM 3 - TUESDAY, 26 JULYISFC38 Book of Abstracts Page 72 Lisbon, July 2011