Framing the Future: A Corpus-Assisted Analysis of Stance Markers and Evaluation in Pakistani English Newspaper Coverage of Generative AI
Contributors
- Hafiz Sajjad Hussain Lecturer, Humanities Department, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Punjab, Pakistan.
- Amina Riasat M.Phil. Scholar, Humanities Department, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Punjab, Pakistan.
- Ayesha Tariq M.Phil. Scholar, Humanities Department, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Punjab, Pakistan.
Abstract
This study investigates how Pakistani English-language newspapers construct and evaluate generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) through stance markers and evaluative language. Drawing on a specialized Pakistani GenAI Newspaper Corpus (PGNC) comprising 347 articles and 378,456 words from Dawn, The Express Tribune, and The News International, the study adopts a corpus-linguistic approach informed by Conrad (2002), Egbert, Larsson et al. (2020), and Hunston and Thompson (2000). Articles published between 2022 and 2025 were analyzed using AntConc through frequency, keyword, collocation, concordance, and semantic-prosody analyses, followed by contextual interpretation. The findings reveal a predominantly developmental representation of GenAI. Positive appreciation constitutes 65% of 18,765 evaluative instances, while negative judgment accounts for 28% and neutral or ambivalent evaluation for 7%. Stance resources occur at 32.9 instances per 1,000 words, with hedges (12.9) outnumbering boosters (8.5) and positive attitude markers (7.9). Diachronic analysis indicates a shift from booster-heavy optimism in the early period toward increased hedging and negative judgment by 2025. Cross-newspaper differences are also evident: The Express Tribune exhibits the highest overall stance density (35.6 per 1,000 words), Dawn records the highest hedge density (14.3), and The News International demonstrates the highest negative-attitude density (6.7). Semantic-prosody findings show that “revolutionary” predominantly evokes positive developmental meanings, risk is frequently mitigated through hedging, and “Pakistan” appears in deontic constructions emphasizing national urgency. Overall, Pakistani English-language newspapers localize global GenAI discourse by balancing developmental aspirations with increasing caution, reflecting evolving perceptions of technological opportunity, uncertainty, and national priorities.
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Corresponding Author
Hafiz Sajjad Hussain
Lecturer, Humanities Department, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Punjab, Pakistan.
Corresponding Author: [email protected]
