Corpus Linguistics

Abstract

This book is about investigating the way people use language in speech and writing. It introduces the corpus-based approach to linguistics, based on analysis of large databases of real language examples stored on computer. Each chapter focuses on a different area of linguistics, including lexicography, grammar, discourse, register variation, language acquisition, and historical linguistics. Example analyses are presented in each chapter to provide concrete descriptions of the research methods and advantages of corpus-based techniques. Ten methodology boxes provide clear and concise explanations of the issues in doing corpus-based research and reading corpus-based studies and there is a useful appendix of resources for corpus-based investigation. This lucid and comprehensive introduction to the subject will be welcomed by a broad range of readers, from undergraduate students to professional researchers.

Non-empirically Based Teaching Materials Can be Positively Misleading: A Case of Modal Auxiliary Verbs in Malaysian English Language Textbooks

“…Will which is supposed to be given the most emphasis in a pedagogic corpus reaches second while can that is ranked third in three major corpora has been overused by standing as the most frequent modal used in the textbook. Indeed, can is well overrepresented throughout Form 1 to 5 textbooks because although it is among the top four used modal auxiliaries, it is well below will and would in terms of frequency occurrence (Leech et al 2009;Biber et al 1998). It is interesting to see that although based on KBSM curriculum modals must, will, may, might and should are the ones that are stipulated to be taught in Form 1, Form 4 and Form 5 textbook, still modal can is used more than any other modals.…”

“…Finally, shall as the lowest frequent modal is lopsided throughout Malaysian textbooks. Although shall has been reported by Biber et al (1998) and Leech et al (2009) to be obsolete in current English, according to Mindt (1995) and Romer (2004a) the prediction meaning of shall (31%) is among one of the most widely used meanings in spoken British English. In the ESL environment, students need to be exposed to the language as much as possible to gain sufficient input and exposure.…”

“…a learner has used" (p. 16). The spoken mini-corpus, however, was compiled because a) there were no ready-made computerized collections of spoken part of Malaysian English textbooks available and it would have been a rather time-consuming to go over each and every dialogue or speech bubble to look for nine modal auxiliary verbs in five textbooks and b) based on the findings of empirical studies on modal auxiliary verbs, different varieties of English and different genres of text-types (spoken vs. written English) plays an important role in the distribution of modal auxiliary verbs (Coates, 1983cited in Kennedy, 1998Biber, Conrad & Reppen, 1998;Mindt, 1995). Altogether, this corpus of spoken-type texts from textbooks has a size of a bit more than 50,000 tokens.…”

A Corpus-based Contrastive Study of Online News Reports on Economic Crisis ― A Critical Discourse Analysis Perspective

“…Hunston (2003) holds that it is no exaggeration to say that corpora and the study of corpora have revolutionized the study of language, and of the applications of language over the last few decades, and that the improved accessibility of computers has changed corpus study from a subject for specialists to something that is open to all. According to Biber et al (1998), the essential characteristics that capture the corpus-based approach are the followings: (1) it is empirical, analyzing the actual patterns of use in natural texts; (2) it utilizes a large and principled collection of natural texts, known as a 'corpus', as the basis for analysis; (3) it makes extensive use of computers for analysis, using both automatic and interactive techniques; (4) it depends on both quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques.…”

Processamento linguístico-computacional de pacotes lexicais: um estudo de corpus na área de Regulamentação Farmacêutica

“…Dentro da abordagem da Linguística de Corpus (doravante LC) (Biber et al, 1998;Berber Sardinha, 2004) com relação à categoria dos pacotes lexicais, encontramos os seguintes trabalhos: (i) Hyland (2008), que examinou um corpus a partir de registros acadêmicos escritos de quatro diferentes disciplinas (Engenharia Elétrica, Biologia, Administração de Empresas e Linguística Aplicada) a fi m de extrair pacotes lexicais baseados numa análise contrastiva das suas formas e funções; (ii) Scott e Tribble (2006) …”