REFRAMING ‘SMART CITY’ NARRATIVES: AN ECOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE DUMAGUETE RECLAMATION PROJECT
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Abstract
This study examines how language in environmental discourse shapes relationships between humans and the non-human world. Drawing on ecolinguistic perspectives, it investigates how discursive choices construct ecological meanings in texts addressing the Smart City reclamation initiative in Dumaguete City. Guided by the framework of Positive Discourse Analysis (PDA), the study uses salience as a key analytical lens to identify linguistic features that foreground environmental concerns and socio-ecological values. Quantitative results show that individualization (40.16%) and sensory imagery (37.80%) appear most frequently, followed by personalization (12.60%) and Actor roles in transitivity patterns (9.45%). Complementing these findings, qualitative analysis identified four recurring thematic patterns: (1) Highlighting of Dumaguete City and its marine ecosystems, (2) Impact of the Smart City project on the local community, (3) Role of marine ecosystems, and (4) Vivid imagery of destruction. Results suggest that “Smart City” discourses construct narratives that foreground environmental preservation and ecological value. The findings illustrate how patterned linguistic choices operate to promote ecological sustainability and shape public understanding of environmental issues affecting the community.
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