RESEARCH AIMS
This inter-departmental group aims to bring together researchers engaged in diverse areas of language interest, from a synchronic perspective, and using corpus-based approaches to discourse analysis. The research profile of the members encompasses numerous papers and books on topics in corpus linguistics, sociolinguistics, (critical) discourse analysis and the pragmatic analysis of spoken and written language.
While the group’s base in Sicily may provide a relevant regional voice, its primary research centres on global English discourse. Members analyze how English is employed across different contexts, media, domains, and communities, investigating its role in shaping and reflecting societal trends and concerns. Their work includes the linguistic and discourse analysis of English-language media and social media platforms, and understanding its impact on and reflection of political, ecological, journalistic and tourism-related issues.
The regional context enriches the group’s perspective, allowing a nuanced understanding in the global discussions they engage with.
The group pursues collaborative research projects to shed light on some of the following topics and areas:
- The role of corpora within discourse analysis, critical and positive discourse analysis
- Theoretical / Methodological issues in corpus linguistics;
- Corpus linguistics and discourse pragmatics;
- Corpus linguistics and register analysis;
- Corpus linguistics in genre studies;
- Corpora and the media;
- Multimodal corpora;
- Ecolinguistics and language corpora;
- Variation studies in emerging varieties of English;
- Variation in contact situations where English is used as ELF
The Catania research unit will contribute insights to the national Italian CLAVIER community, while fostering collaboration that bridges local and (inter)national linguistic research.
MEMBERS
- Douglas Mark Ponton (Coordinator)
- Cristina Arizzi
- Giuseppina Di Gregorio
- Francesca M. Vigo
- Marco Venuti
- Raffaele Zago