Modelling of the Frame HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: Corpus-Based Approach

Abstract

Introduction. The article considers the problem of modelling of the frame HEALTHY LIFESTYLE applying the methods of corpus linguistics. The scientific novelty of the study is determined by the fact that up to now no attempts have been made to identify the frame structure of the HEALTHY LIFESTYLE concept. The relevance of the study is conditioned by its focus on describing the national specifics of the concept in American culture, as well as implementing the collocation analysis to obtain verified conclusions about the frame structure. Methodology and sources. The research is carried out in line with the methodology of frame modelling of concepts based on the analysis of their discursive representations. In order to identify the frame structure of the concept in focus the collocation method was applied. The approach consists in analyzing the frequency of joint occurrence of linguistic units. The study is drawn on the collocations obtained from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). Results and discussions. A hierarchical model of the frame HEALTHY LIFESTYLE is presented, the following main slots (subframes) of the frame structure were identified: “healthy/unhealthy eating”, “physical activity”, “healthy/unhealthy habits”, “healthy lifestyle promotion”, “keeping healthy lifestyle”, “healthy/unhealthy relationships”. As a result of the analysis of the collocations representing the slots of the frame HEALTHY LIFESTYLE in COCA, the subordinate subframes were modelled. Conclusion. It was found that each slot (subframe) of the frame in focus has a complex structure including terminal and non-terminal slots. The structure of terminal slots at any of the hierarchical levels of the frame can be represented as a radial model, where each of the subordinate terminal slots is to varying degrees removed from the centre. Conclusions about the degree of remoteness of the frame slots from the centre of the radial model can be made based on the frequency of collocations representing a particular slot. The prospects of this study include further detailed consideration of subordinate frame slots and clarification of the hierarchical model of the frame HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.