An Ecological Discourse Analysis of Network News in Xinhuanet from the Perspective of Transitivity System
Authors: Li Hui 
Published: November 2024

In Chinese media, ecological stories told by network news focus on the achievements of ecological civilization construction in the new era, intensifying pollution control and accelerating the transition to a model of green development. Ecological discourse of network news is the network language representation of the ecological environment, which can be analyzed by applying the theory of systemic functional linguistics. Themed on “ecological construction”, “pollution prevention and control” as well as “green development” under the “Environmental Protection” column, this thesis collects thirty-five network news reports from Xinhuanet. Quantitative analysis is used to explore the distribution of participants, transitivity processes and circumstantial elements. Guided by the ecosophy of one basic assumption and three principles, qualitative analysis is also conducted to define the features of ecological discourse based on the characteristics of transitivity system and the analysis of the context. It aims to analyze the ecological orientation of ecological discourse of network news, and guide the ecological consciousness of harmonious coexistence between human and nature. This thesis aims to answer three questions: (1) What are the distribution patterns of the participants, transitivity processes as well as circumstantial elements in network news? (2) How are the ecological features of the participants, transitivity processes as well as circumstantial elements distributed in network news? The major findings are shown as follows: (1) Material, relational and verbal process participants account for 96.94% of all the participants; material, verbal and relational processes account for 96.75%, while mental, behavioral and existential processes occupy a small proportion; The range, location and manner circumstantial elements account for 74.89% of the total components, among which the duration and location elements account for a higher proportion. (2) Through analysis, it can be known that most of the discourses adhere to the basic assumption and three principles for ecological analysis of discourse. Human and non-human living forms account for 54.81%, which is slightly higher than the physical and social entities of participants, thus constructing the main content of participants’ ecological roles; Most of the network news processes are eco-beneficial processes, accounting for 64.43%, followed by eco-ambivalent processes and eco-destructive processes. Material, verbal and relational processes form the main framework of China’s ecological stories and construct a harmonious ecological discourse. Network news reports focus more on the objective world, and mental process as well as verbal process ensure the objectivity, authenticity, reliability of the network news; Elements such as extent, location, cause and manner in the circumstantial elements provide the major basic information of ecological stories and enhance the practical significance of ecological discourses. Moreover, the duration element forms the context of sustainable development concept, and the practical significance of ecological discourse has been sublimated.