Theories and methods for the corpus-assisted analysis of discourse: from language that denotes to language that expresses phenomena

Intended for PhD students and early to mid-stages researchers, this Bootcamp offers an interactive exploration of some of the most intriguing aspects of corpus and discourse research. Together, we will consider the challenges we face when identifying and analysing difficult to access discourses, such as those of emotion and memory, by focusing prominently on methodological reflection.

Over its development as a field and method, much research in corpus linguistics has focused on the discursive construction of socio-cultural phenomena and has developed sophisticated models and methods that can be applied to a wide range of topics, from the representation of migration, or the climate crisis, to managerial styles, or health communication. This body of knowledge has proved invaluable for guiding and shaping approaches to corpus-assisted discourse analysis. Moreover, expanding on traditional areas of focus and approaches to analysis, there has been a notable growth in the use of corpora in the study of phenomena of discursive pragmatics, such as impoliteness or irony, in part owing to theoretical, methodological, and technological advances.

However, to date, a methodological reflection on the synergy between these research traditions remains relatively unexplored. The proposed event fits into this space, with two fundamental questions:

a) How do we move from the analysis of discursive construction to that of discursive performance?

b) How can we bring together the different methods used to date in examining discursive phenomena and rhetorical phenomena to build a toolkit that can be applied to topics such as memory or emotions, for example, empathy, hope and nostalgia?

The bootcamp aims at developing methodological and analytical competences in the area of Corpus-Assisted Discourse Studies (Partington et al. 2013) and at furthering the awareness of the techniques available in the field of CADS. The hands-on activities will be punctuated by lectures given by experienced researchers. Topics will include: the pragmatics of im/politeness (Culpeper 2011); comparing the language denoting disease to the language indicating disease (Hunt & Brookes 2020); the language of trust (Fuoli 2018) and of disinformation (Dance 2019). We will explore the challenge of counting what is difficult to count and discuss issues of pervasiveness and prominence, of precision and recall, and the potential and the constraints of using corpora to systematically and comprehensively analyse linguistic function as well as form (Curry 2023). Ample space will be dedicated to self-reflexivity (Taylor & Marchi 2018) and critical assessment of the research process. Participants will have the opportunity to present their own projects, discuss how they use or intend to use corpus-assisted analysis in their research and receive feedback.

The number of participants will be limited to 20, to favour a high level of interaction. Applicants need to include a short CV and a motivation letter outlining and providing evidence of an interest in the research methodology. Priority will be given to applications which demonstrate a basic competence in the areas of applied linguistics, discourse analysis, corpus linguistics, sociolinguistics, and/or a background in memory studies or emotion studies also from non-linguistic perspectives (e.g. history, philosophy, sociology, psychology, anthropology, political sciences). Additional qualifications that can be evaluated are: presentations at conferences, participation in summer schools and courses in the area of ​​corpus linguistics/discourse analysis, and/or on topics related to memory/emotions.

The bootcamp will be held at Bertinoro University Centre (CEUB) from 28 to 30 September 2023. Participants will be hosted at CEUB with arrival scheduled for 27 September and work starting on the morning of 28. The costs of food and accommodation will be fully covered by the organization, while travel expenses are the responsibility of the participants.

The deadline for applications 19 June 2023.

Motivation letter (max 500 words) and a one-page CV must be sent to: anna.marchi@unibo.it. For further information please contact the same address.

Invited speakers:

Charlotte Taylor (University of Sussex)

Niall Curry (Manchester Metropolitan University)

Matteo Fuoli (University of Birmingham)

Daniel Hunt (University of Nottingham)

Gavin Brookes (Lancaster University)

William Dance (Lancaster University).

 Official page, download call: https://bandi.unibo.it/s/dit/bootcamp-theories-and-methods-for-the-corpus-assisted-analysis-of-discourse-from-language-that-denotes-to-language-that-expresses-phenomena