On the Relationship between Type and Token Frequency

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the relationship between the lexicon and language use through the lens of type and token frequency. Type frequency is taken to reflect the lexicon, token frequency language use. Type and token frequencies were compared for a total of 10 basic distinctions at the phonological, morphological, lexical and lexico-syntactic levels in English. These include consonants vs. vowels, prefixes vs. suffixes, count vs. mass nouns and transitive vs. intransitive verbs. The empirical analysis reveals that type frequencies may be more, or less, extreme than token frequencies. Non-phonological distinctions evince a higher discrepancy between type and token frequency than phonological ones. In addition, complexity is more strongly discouraged in token than in type frequency, suggesting that it is more of an issue in processing than in storage. It is concluded that the lexicon constrains language use, though only to a limited extent.