ABSTRACT
Human perception and actions are to a certain extent conditioned by language, as linguistic devices such as grammar, vocabulary and discourse can reinforce our views about sameness, difference or importance. Unfortunately, human language often creates a rather distorted picture of our place and role in the ecosystem. Among the most important biases is arguably anthropocentrism, a philosophical view which categorizes nature primarily from the viewpoint of its usefulness to human beings. It has repeatedly been proposed to find linguistic alternatives for anthropocentric language structures, in particular anthropomorphic, physiocentric and biocentric language. After a thorough discussion of the various manifestations of anthropocentrism in present-day English, this chapter scrutinizes the most promising attempts to create a greater awareness of the power of language and suggests alternatives to current usage.
