Kristina Pahor de Maiti Tekavčič
This lecture and hands-on session explore how corpus-assisted discourse analysis (CADS) can be applied to study agonality in contemporary European parliamentary discourse. Using the multilingual ParlaMint corpus, the lecture introduces the concept of common sense as a discursive node often used to assert ideological authority, naturalize political claims, and delegitimize opposition. By tracing collocational patterns and frequency statistics of the phrase common sense, we examine how this term functions both as a legitimizing device and a rhetorical weapon in agonistic exchanges. The analysis draws on theoretical insights from Laclau (1996) and Gramsci (1971) to situate common sense as an empty signifier that masks ideological contestation under a veneer of neutrality.
The hands-on session will guide participants through practical techniques for identifying and interpreting discursive patterns using noSketchEngine and TEITOK. Participants will gain experience formulating search queries, interpreting the available statistics, and exploring how context can be approached through a combination of quantitative output and close, qualitative reading. No prior technical expertise is required. Participants are kindly asked to bring their own laptops.
Short bio
Kristina Pahor de Maiti Tekavčič, MA in Translation and Interpreting Studies from University of Ljubljana, is using approaches from discourse analysis, pragmatics, corpus linguistics and various digital methods to explore the descriptive and constitutive nature of language. She is particularly interested in methodological and discourse analytical approaches to figurative language use. In addition, her activities include conducting workshops and developing training materials to promote corpus linguistics research methods in the Social Sciences and Humanities.