The Representation of the Word ‘Pollution’: A Corpus-Assisted Ecolinguistics Study

Abstract

This study examines how the concept of pollution is constructed in Indonesian discourse by combining corpus linguistics with ecolinguistic interpretation. Using data from the Leipzig Corpora Collection, specifically the 2019 news collection, and analysed using AntConc software, nominal collocates of pollution were identified and examined in relation to their nominal collocation and discursive implications. The findings show strong associations with air quality, health risks, governance, and technological solutions. Nominal collocation interpretation highlights discourses of risk and victimhood, often centred on toxic exposure and children, alongside discourses of responsibility and technical solutions, expressed through references to regulation, electric vehicles, etc. The study suggests that the representation of the word 'pollution' varies from risk-centred narratives to solution-oriented framings, reflecting broader sustainability discourses. This study contributes to how language shapes ecological understanding and provides empirical insights into environmental discourse in Indonesia.