The integration of sentiment analysis into sociolinguistic research: affective dimensions of spontaneous discourse
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36517/ep16.97204Keywords:
sentiment analysis, social variation, spontaneous speech, Madrid Oral CorpusAbstract
This study explores the integration of sentiment analysis (SA) into sociolinguistic research, with the aim of examining how affective dimensions manifest in colloquial speech. Based on a theoretical review of cognitive and functional approaches to meaning, the study explores the possibility of quantifying relational and evaluative aspects of language using SA tools, particularly the Lingmotif software. This tool was applied to two spoken corpora of Madrid Spanish (CORMA and COLAm), allowing for an analysis of the emotional tone of interactions based on sociolinguistic variables such as gender, age, and communicative context. The results show that conversations in institutional contexts (such as customer service) exhibit more positive and intense affective profiles, while youth speech is characterized by a more frequent use of ironic expressions, taboo language, and banter strategies. Furthermore, a microdiachronic trend is observed: gender differences in emotional expression tend to diminish over time. The study concludes that AS, despite its limitations, is a valuable tool for detecting affective patterns in spontaneous speech and for expanding methodologies for analyzing social meaning in contemporary sociolinguistics.
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