Realizations and Functional Patterns of Shell Nouns in Applied Linguistics Research Articles

Abstract

This study intends to investigate the realizations and functional patterns of shell nouns in Applied Linguistics research articles.  To this end, fifty research articles in the field of Applied Linguistic were selected from Journal of English for Academic Purposes and journal of English for Specific Purposes published by Elsevier.  The articles were analyzed for the realizations of shell nouns based on the list suggested by Hinkel (2004).  As to the functional patterns, Schmid’s (2000) classification of functional patterns of shell nouns was also adopted.  Findings reported that some shell nouns are used more frequently while some were put aside.  Findings also reported that writers of research articles in the field of Applied Linguistics used functional patterns suggested by Schmid (2000).  Findings of this study could have implications by raising the awareness of writers of Applied Linguistics research articles, especially in EFL contexts, concerning the use of shell nouns and functional patterns in which shell nouns are used.