OPINION Glossary

Integrating theory and methods for automatically analyzing opinionated communication.

Edited by

Gabriella Szabó, HUN REN Centre for Social Sciences, Hungary
szabo.gabriella@tk.hu

Carlos Cunha, Iscte - University Institute of Lisbon, Portugal
cunhacdowling@yahoo.com

Jūratė Ruzaitė, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
jurate.ruzaite@vdu.lt

Tamara Kunić, VERN University, Croatia
kunic.tamara@gmail.com

Introduction

One of the goals of the WG1 (THEORY) of this COST Action was an extensive literature review of existing theory and research on opinions and their textual/discursive expression that would allow us to develop a glossary of key definitions and terms. We aim in offering an interdisciplinary, still coherent, overview of key terms and definitions to scholars who have been conducting studies on opinion or are planning to start doing that.

This Glossary is an outcome of collaborative work of more than 30 scholars from 13 countries and regions. For the previous months, participants of the WG1 have been working in four subgroups, arranged around four areas of study, namely: (1) linguistics, (2) political communication & cultural studies, (3) public opinion, and (4) communication & media studies. Based on the Literature Review, we recognised terms and concepts employed in studies on opinionated communication across disciplines.

Both the Literature Review and the Glossary will serve us as a starting point for developing a joint manifesto on conceptual criteria and dimensions of textually expressed opinions and resulting research agenda (MoU, D1.2).

The Glossary contains over 140 entries, each providing a clear definition, highlighting the main features of the concept or phenomenon, and outlining its theoretical background. Each entry concludes with a selection of references for further reading. All entries have been peer-reviewed and edited into a standardised format.

We hope this Glossary will serve as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners alike, fostering a shared understanding of key concepts and facilitating interdisciplinary dialogue on the study of opinions. By clarifying definitions and theoretical foundations, we aim to contribute to more rigorous, transparent, and collaborative research in the fields of linguistics, communication, and social sciences. We warmly thank all contributors and reviewers for their dedication to this collective effort.

WG1 (THEORY) Management Team

Agnieszka Stępińska, Chair

Nicoleta Corbu, Vice-Chair (until 2024)

Gabriella Szabo, Vice-Chair (from 2025)

Carlos Cunha, Vice-Chair & Communication Officer

Acknowledgment of Reviewers

We gratefully acknowledge the invaluable contributions of all reviewers who dedicated their time and expertise to the evaluation of this glossary. Their thoughtful comments, critical insights, and constructive feedback have greatly improved the clarity, accuracy, and conceptual depth of the entries. The quality of this publication is a testament to their careful and engaged work. We sincerely thank them for supporting this collaborative academic effort:

List of reviewers:

Janet Adikpo, Kinga Adamczewska, Giorgia Aiello, Anna Baczkowska, Christian Baden, Barbora Badurova, Nicoleta Corbu, Serap Durmus, Ardita Dylgjeri, Damian Guzek, Gal Harpaz, Valerie Hase, Agnieszka Hess, Ana Jovančević, Marc Jungblut, Ledia Kazazi, Aleksandra Krstic, Barbara Lewandowska-Tomaszczyk, Chaya Liebeskind, Erika Lombart, Artur Lipiński, Fabienne Lind, Alena Pospíšil Macková, Elena Negrea-Busuioc, Martina Novotna, Şule Yüksel Özme, Jūratė Ruzaitė, Nina Springer, Ilija Tomanić Trivundža, Selma Veseljević Jerković, Lenka Vochovcová.

Suggested citation:

Szabó, G., Cunha, C., Ruzaitė, J., & Kunić, T. (Eds.). (2025). OPINION Glossary: Integrating theory and methods for automatically analyzing opinionated communication. OPINION COST Action CA21129. Available Online: /glossary/

Author(s) of the entry. (2025). Title of the entry. In G. Szabó, C. Cunha, J. Ruzaitė, & T. Kunić (Eds.), OPINION Glossary: Integrating theory and methods for automatically analyzing opinionated communication. OPINION COST Action CA21129. Available Online: /glossary/xx-xx
Note: Replace Author(s) of the entry, Title of the entry, xx–xx, with the actual details for the entry.