Catchwords: An Essay on Research Methods

Gupta, Ayan-Yue and Gupta, Suman (2024). Catchwords: An Essay on Research Methods. Key Words: A Journal of Cultural Materialism (In Press).

Abstract

Departing from Raymond Williams's influential concept and study of 'keywords', this paper proposes and examines methods for studying 'catchwords'. The argument is that 'catchwords' offer a lexically centred way of analysing contemporary social discourses which is analogous to 'keywords' but more in synch with tools and conditions that are of our time. The concept of 'catchwords' is defined and ways of identifying and measuring them (perceptual frequency estimations and empirical frequency measurements) presented. Two methods for analysing why certain words catch on are then considered. First, a process of manual text interpretation is outlined, and, second, ways of analysing 'catchwords' with data of large scale using Natural Language Processing are proposed.

Plain Language Summary

Original methods for analysing prevailing and unfolding social and cultural circumstances in terms of the popularity of certain words/phrases are outlined, based on a new concept of 'catchwords'.

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