Revisiting the Role and Potential of Corpus Linguistics in Critical Discourse Analysis

Persistent debates on methodological compatibility between corpus linguistics (CL) and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) necessitate reassessing CL’s untapped potential. Addressing criticisms of contextual depth and objectivity, this study leverages recent Natural Language Processing (NLP) advancements to demonstrate CL’s enhanced capacity for critical discourse research. A comparative analysis of 398 New York Times and 1,201 China Daily articles on a contested international issue reveals—through integrated corpus techniques—systematic differences in agent representation, verb usage, semantic framing, and network centrality. These findings expose structural biases in global discourses. The synergistic integration of corpus methods with CDA frameworks strengthens analytical scope and methodological pluralism while maintaining core commitments to power-relation analysis. This underscores CL’s vital role in advancing CDA’s rigor and impact.