Ecolinguistics and Environmental Discourse in Contemporary Fiction

Abstract

This paper investigates the emerging field of ecolinguistics and its application to contemporary literary fiction that engages with environmental crisis. By analyzing the linguistic strategies through which novelists represent ecological degradation, species loss, and climate change, the study demonstrates how language shapes environmental consciousness and public discourse. The paper draws upon the theoretical frameworks of Hallidayan systemic functional linguistics, critical discourse analysis, and ecocriticism to examine works by Amitav Ghosh, Barbara Kingsolver, and Richard Powers. It argues that literary language plays a crucial role in making abstract environmental threats tangible and emotionally resonant for readers, thereby contributing to the broader cultural project of environmental awareness