A Corpus-Based Study of the Matrix and Transgenderism

Abstract

This research study involved an examination of the film The Matrix as related to transgenderism through a corpus linguistic analysis involving Language Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). The writers and directors of the film have confirmed that The Matrix is about the transgender transition process and this research was conducted to analyze this result. The software used to analyze the textual data for this study is the (LIWC) program. There were 12 variables present in this study, including psycholinguistic, linguistic, and psychological. The corpus was the film script of The Matrix (Wachowski et al., 2001) and the reference corpus was the Action Movies 1999 Corpus. The research questions involved an analysis of the usage rate of broad psycholinguistic, linguistic, and psychological processes in movie script for The Matrix. In addition, we attempted to identify if differences in linguistic processes exist between The Matrixand movies overall and movies released during that period overall. The results indicate that the highest standard score was for the variable Clout and the greatest score difference was noted for Analytic. In addition, the highest score for a linguistic variable was for 2nd person pronouns and the highest encountered psychological variable was insight. Finally, the greatest linguistic variable difference encountered was for 1st person singular and the greatest psychological variable difference encountered was for the word male. In response to these findings, several implications for counseling and research were developed.