Lillian Lee
Cornell University

Title: Analyzing phrasing effects via found conversations:  'Parallel universes'
in Twitter, ChangeMyView, and the Fed (FOMC)

Abstract:

This talk will focus on the effect of phrasing, emphasizing aspects that go
beyond just the selection of one particular word over another.  The issues we'll
consider include: Does the way in which something is worded in and of itself
have an effect on whether it is remembered or attracts attention, beyond its
content or context? Can we characterize how different sides in a debate frame
their arguments, in a way that goes beyond specific lexical choice (e.g.,
"pro-choice" vs. "pro-life")?  The settings we'll explore range from posts that
do or do not catch on in Twitter, to arguments that persuade in the ChangeMyView
subreddit,  to language that affects discussion points among members of the
Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).

Joint work with Cristian Danescu-Niculescu-Mizil, Vlad Niculae, Bo Pang, and
Chenhao Tan.