Maarten van Leeuwen
University lecturer
- Name
- Dr. M. van Leeuwen
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 2073
- m.van.leeuwen@hum.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0002-8681-2493
Maarten van Leeuwen is a University Lecturer at the Leiden University Centre for Linguistics.
More information about Maarten van Leeuwen
PhD candidates
Fields of interest
- Stylistics
- Argumentation
- Rhetoric
- Political discourse analysis
- Populism
Research
My main research interest concerns the rhetorical consequences of linguistic choices in argumentative discourse, a.o. in the domain of politics. Starting point for my research is the insight that language users almost always have a choice when it comes to describing objects or states of affairs in reality, and that such alternative formulations are nog interchangeable semantically. For instance, it makes a difference whether a glass filled for fifty per cent is described as ‘half full’ or ‘half empty’, whether people who oppose a political leader are characterized as ‘freedom fighters’ or as ‘rebels’, whether the European Union is metaphorically described as ‘one big family’ or as ‘a bottomless pit’, etc. Such linguistic (or: stylistic) variants are not neutral, but steer listeners or readers towards different conclusions about the phenomena involved.
In my research I study stylistic choices and their argumentative-rhetorical consequences from a linguistic angle. How do language users make use of stylistic choices to reach their rhetorical goals? For instance, how are linguistic choices used to create a political image (such as the image of being a ‘populist’)? I am also interested in methodological aspects of linguistic-stylistic research: how can linguistic choices and their rhetorical consequences be identified and analyzed in a systematic way? Since linguistic choices have a clear argumentative function, the third pillar of my research is the interface of linguistic stylistics and argumentation theory. How can insights from linguistic stylistics and argumentation theory be integrated in meaningful ways, in order to study how language users present their arguments strategically?
Teaching activities
My teaching is on (linguistic) stylistics, argumentation theory and rhetoric. Courses I am currently teaching (in Dutch) are:
- The power of words: rhetorical effects of choices in formulation
- Strategic presentation of argumentation
- Stylistics
- Rhetoric and Politics
- BA and MA thesis seminars
Key publications
- Haaften T. van & Leeuwen M. van (2021), On the relation between argumentative style and linguistic style: integrating linguistic-stylistic analysis systematically into the analysis of argumentative style, Journal of Argumentation in Context 10(1): 97-120.
- Boogaart R.J.U., Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (2021), "Those are your words, not mine!" Defence strategies for denying speaker commitment, Argumentation 35: 209-235.
- Boogaart R.J.U., Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (Eds.) (2021), The Language of Argumentation. Argumentation Library: Springer.
- Leeuwen M. van (2019), Measuring people-centrism in populist political discourse: A linguistic approach. In: Zienkowski J. & Breeze R. (Eds.), Imagining the Peoples of Europe, Populist discourses across the political spectrum. Discourse approaches to politics, society and culture no. 83. Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. 315-340.
- Leeuwen M. van (2018), Style and grammar in political discourse: complementation and its argumentative-rhetorical potential. In: Oswald S., Herman T. & Jacquin J. (Eds.), Argumentation and language - linguistic, cognitive and discursive explorations. Argumentation Library no. 32: Springer. 51-72.
- Leeuwen, M. van (2015). Stijl en politiek: een taalkundig-stilistische benadering van Nederlandse parlementaire toespraken. [Style and politics: a linguistic-stylistic approach to Dutch parliamentary speeches]. Utrecht: LOT. (Access the English summary).
- Leeuwen M. van (2014), Systematic stylistic analysis. The use of a checklist. In: Kaal B., Maks I. & Elfrinkhof A. van (Eds.), From Text to political Positions. Text analysis across disciplines. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 225-244.
Curriculum vitae
2016 -present | Assistant professor, depts. Dutch Language and Culture / Linguistics (Leiden University Centre for Linguistics) |
2008 - 2016 | Lecturer, depts. Dutch Language and Culture / Linguistics / LUC The Hague / International Studies (Leiden University Centre for Linguistics) |
2009 | Visiting scholar, Linguistics Department University of Berkeley, California (fall semester) |
2007 - 2012 | PhD candidate, NWO project ‘Stylistics of Dutch’ (Leiden University) |
2003 - 2008 | Lecturer, Academic Language Centre Leiden University |
2006 - 2007 | Course developer, Taalcentrum-VU, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam |
2006 | MA Dutch Language and Culture, Leiden University |
University lecturer
- Faculty of Humanities
- Leiden Univ Centre for Linguistics
- LUCL Nederlands
- Leeuwen M. van, Mulder H.N.M. de & Hollander A. den (2022), Valt de lezer om te turnen? Effecten van formuleringskeuzes in de zaak ‘Van Gelder', Tijdschrift voor Taalbeheersing 44(3): 156-175.
- Boogaart R.J.U., Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (2022), “I was only quoting”: shifting viewpoint and speaker commitment. In: Horn L.R. (Ed.), From lying to perjury. Linguistic and legal perspectives on lies and other falsehoods. Berlin/Boston: Mouton de Gruyter. 113-138.
- Boogaart R.J.U., Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (2021), "Those are your words, not mine!" Defence strategies for denying speaker commitment, Argumentation 35: 209-235.
- Dalmaijer E., Leeuwen M. van & Putte E. van de (2021), Handelen in behandeling: een taalkundig-stilistisch onderzoek naar correlaties tussen taalgebruik en welzijn, Tijdschrift voor Taalbeheersing 43(3): 261-289.
- Boogaart R.J.U., Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (Eds.) (2021), The Language of Argumentation. Argumentation Library: Springer.
- Boogaart R.J.U., Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (2021), "Those Are Your Words, not Mine!" Defence Strategies for Denying Speaker Commitment. In: Boogaart R.J.U., Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (Eds.), The Language of Argumentation. Argumentation Library no. 36: Springer. 99-125.
- Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (2021), The presentational dimension of Geert Wilders’s populist argumentative style, Argumentation in Context 10(1): 122-145.
- Haaften T. van & Leeuwen M. van (2021), On the relation between argumentative style and linguistic style: integrating linguistic-stylistic analysis systematically into the analysis of argumentative style, Journal of Argumentation in Context 10(1): 97-120.
- Boogaart R.J.U., Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (2021), Introduction: From Argumentation to Language—And Vice Versa. In: Boogaart R.J.U., Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (Eds.), The Language of Argumentation no. 36: Springer. 1-14.
- Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (2020), ‘Ik spreek namens miljoenen Nederlanders’: Wilders’ presentatie van het populistische argument in het politieke debat, Tijdschrift voor Taalbeheersing 42(2): 204-224.
- Boogaart R.J.U., Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (2020), “Dat bedoelde ik niet!” Verdedigingstechnieken na een 'foute' uitspraak, Neerlandistiek.nl : .
- Haaften T. van & Leeuwen M. van (2020), Suggesting outsider status by behaving improperly: the linguistic realization of a populist rhetorical strategy in Dutch Parliament. In: Geest I. van der, Jansen H. & Klink B. van (Eds.), Vox Populi: Populism as a Rhetorical and Democratic Challenge. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. 108-129.
- Jansen H., Leeuwen M. van & Velde H. te (2020), Inleiding op themanummer [Politiek debat], Tijdschrift voor Taalbeheersing 42(2): 103-109.
- Jansen H., Leeuwen M. van & Velde H. te (Eds.) (2020), Themanummer 'Het politieke debat'. Tijdschrift voor Taalbeheersing.
- Haaften T. van & Leeuwen M. van (2019), Strategisch manoeuvreren met stijl, Tijdschrift voor Taalbeheersing 41(1): 75-88.
- Leeuwen M. van (2019), Measuring people-centrism in populist political discourse: A linguistic approach. In: Zienkowski J. & Breeze R. (Eds.), Imagining the Peoples of Europe, Populist discourses across the political spectrum. Discourse approaches to politics, society and culture no. 83. Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. 315-340.
- Leeuwen M. van & Vliet F. van (2019), De 'stem van het volk': populisme en perspectief, Tijdschrift voor Taalbeheersing 41(1): 173-185.
- Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (2019), Presentational choice in ad populum argumentation. Garssen B., Godden D., Mitchell G.R. & Wagemans J.H.M. (Eds.), Proceedings of the Ninth Conference of the International Society for the Study of Argumentation. 573-582.
- Jong J.C. de & Leeuwen M. van (2018), Van oikofobie tot soldatenpak. De stijl en taal van Thierry Baudet, Onze Taal (10): 22-23.
- Haaften T. van & Leeuwen M. van (2018), Strategic Maneuvering with Presentational Devices: A Systematic Approach. Oswald S. & Maillat D. (Eds.), Argumentation and Inference. Proceedings of the 2nd European Conference on Argumentation, Fribourg 2017, Volume II.. no. Studies in Logic 76. London: College Publications.
- Leeuwen M. van (2018), Style and grammar in political discourse: complementation and its argumentative-rhetorical potential. In: Oswald S., Herman T. & Jacquin J. (Eds.), Argumentation and language - linguistic, cognitive and discursive explorations. Argumentation Library no. 32: Springer. 51-72.
- Jong J.C. de & Leeuwen M. van (2018), Baudet als elitaire anti-elitepoliticus. In: Jong J. de, Marion O. van & Rademaker A. (Eds.), Vertrouw mij! Manipulaties van imago. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. 53-57.
- Leeuwen M. van & Haaften T. van (2018), Een avondje stappen of nachtelijke escapades?. In: Jong J. de, Marion O. van & Rademaker A. (Eds.), Vertrouw mij! Manipulaties van imago. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. 141-145.
- Leeuwen M. van & Looij M. (2018), Wilders de 'gedoger': andere rol, andere stijl?. In: Jong J. de, Marion O. van & Rademaker A. (Eds.), Vertrouw mij! Manipulaties van imago. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. 47-52.
- Leeuwen M. van (2017), Co-organisor of the 7th Max Havelaar Toesprakentoernooi, Leiden University. [other].
- Leeuwen M. van (2016), Complementatie. In: Reuneker A., Boogaart R. & Lensink S. (Eds.), Arie's netwerk, Een constructicon 139-141.
- Leeuwen M. van (2016), 'Man van het volk.' Stijl en imago van Geert Wilders, Tekstblad. Tijdschrift over Tekst en Communicatie 22(2): 6-11.
- Leeuwen M. van (2016), Co-organisor of the 6th Max Havelaar Toesprakentoernooi, Leiden University. [other].
- Leeuwen M. van (2015), Taalkundig-stilistische analyse: de casus Wilders / Pechtold, Tijdschrift voor Taalbeheersing 37(1): 33-78.
- Leeuwen M. van (2015), Wilders' taal van de emoties. In: Jong J.C. de, Pieper C.H. & Rademaker A.M. (Eds.), Beïnvloeden met emoties. Pathos en retorica. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. 75-80.
- Leeuwen M. van (2014), Systematic stylistic analysis. The use of a checklist. In: Kaal B., Maks I. & Elfrinkhof A. van (Eds.), From Text to political Positions. Text analysis across disciplines. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 225-244.
- Leeuwen M. van (2012), Balancing between Autonomy and Representation, A stylistic case study, Proceedings of the Conference Stylistics Across Disciplines, LUCL, June 16-17, 2011. .
- Leeuwen M. van (2012), Stijl en grammatica, Complementatie in politieke speeches, Tijdschrift voor Taalbeheersing 34(1): 54-73.
- Leeuwen M. van (2012), Rhetorical Effects of Grammar, Critical Approaches to Discourse Analysis across Disciplines 5(2): 88-101.
- Fagel S.V., Leeuwen M. van & Stukker N.M. (Eds.) (2012), Proceedings of the Conference Stylistics Across Disciplines LUCL [Published on CD-rom].
- Fagel S.V., Leeuwen M. van & Boogaart R.J.U. (2011), Chaos en subjectiviteit. Een analyse van de stijl van Maarten Biesheuvel en Jan Arends, Spiegel der Letteren 53(2): 183-217.
- Jong J.C. de & Leeuwen M. van (2011), Pianostemmers in estafettedienst, De stenografische verslagen van Kamerdebatten, Onze Taal (9): 224-227.
- Leeuwen M. van (2009), Het hoofdzinnenbeleid van Wilders, Over de stijl van Geert Wilders en Ella Vogelaar, Tekstblad. Tijdschrift over Tekst en Communicatie 2: 6-11.
- Leeuwen M. van (2009), Rhetorical Style of Political Speeches: A Linguistic Approach, Proceedings of the 2nd Rhetoric in Society Conference, January 21-23 2009, Leiden University. .
- Leeuwen M. van (2009), Clear’ vs. ‘woolly’ language use in political speeches: The case of the controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders, Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Poetics and Linguistics Association (PALA). .
- Leeuwen M. van (2008), The style of political speeches: problems in existing methods, Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Poetics and Linguistics Association (PALA). .