Corpus-based Study Research Articles

Rising datives: tomar ‘take’ expressions with nouns of ‘emotion’ and constructional network reconfiguration in Spanish

Abstract This diachronic, corpus-based study examines Spanish constructions formed with the verb tomar ‘take’ and nouns of ‘emotion’, including endogenous nouns with a target participant (e.g. cariño ‘affection’), exogenous nouns with a source or cause participant (e.g. tristeza ‘sadness’), and hybrid nouns allowing both options (e.g. miedo ‘fear’). Such constructions involve three different inchoative (‘begin to feel’) subschemas. The first one, the Prepositional-Stimulus subschema (e.g. tomar tristeza de algo ‘grow sad over something’), included exogenous and hybrid nouns and predominated in the Middle Ages, but disappeared by the 1800s. The other two subschemas, formed with endogenous and hybrid nouns, have survived until today. They include the Prepositional-Goal subschema (e.g. tomar cariño por alguien ‘grow fond of someone’), the most frequent of the two in the Middle Ages, and the Dative-Goal subschema (e.g. tomarle cariño a alguien ‘grow fond of someone’, lit. ‘take fondness to someone’), which presumably arose through analogy in the 1400s and subsequently marginalized its prepositional counterpart, becoming the default realization in present-day Spanish. Using the framework of Diachronic Construction Grammar, these changes are analyzed as involving the reconfiguration of a broader network of inchoative light verb constructions with nouns of emotion in Spanish.

Corpus－Based Study on the Translation Methods of the Figures of Speech in Zhuang’s Folk Songs of Napo

The figures of speech in Zhuang’s Folk Songs of Napo exhibit distinct cultural characteristics compared to mainstream Chinese folk songs or Western literary traditions, and their translation requires careful attention not only to the figures of speech but also to the effective transmission of Zhuang culture. Based on a self-built bilingual corpus, this paper examines the translation methods of figures of speech in the English translations of Zhuang’s Folk Songs of Napo. The study reveals that translators predominantly use literal translation to preserve the cultural features of figures of speech while also incorporating free translation and imitation to align with the target language and cultural norms. By analyzing the figures of speech in Zhuang’s Folk Songs of Napo, this study explores their unique cultural characteristics and the challenges in the translation, contributing to a better understanding of Zhuang culture among the target readers and fostering cultural exchange and dissemination.

‘Like to comment on that?’

Abstract Questions are powerful interactional devices which academic lecturers may use to facilitate learning, engage students and add to a lecture’s interactivity. This contrastive and corpus-based study examines student-oriented questions, i.e. those initiating a student response, in British and Montenegrin university linguistics lectures. It aims to answer research questions regarding what forms of this question category are employed; how frequent they are, what functions they commonly perform, and whether there are any similarities and differences in these respects between the two groups of lectures. The data include 12 lectures in linguistics from several British academic corpora and a specially created corpus of 12 Montenegrin linguistics lectures. We combine quantitative and qualitative approaches to arrive at results which point to certain similarities and differences between the corpora. Some of these might be explained by the language differences between English and BCMS (Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin/Serbian), while others seem to have stemmed from academic lecturing style differences. The findings add to the literature on questions in academic lectures and, together with other contrastive studies, may contribute to revealing the universal and culturally-specific discourse features of academic lectures across academic cultures, as well as be pedagogically useful for lecturers, particularly novices, who are teaching linguistics in English and BCMS.

Modality in Climate Change-Related Discourse by King Charles III

The article presents a corpus-based study that aims at establishing how modality is used in climate change-related discourse by King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK). The study involved a corpus of speeches on the topic of climate change delivered by King Charles III from 2005 to 2023. The corpus was analysed in the computer software AntConc (Anthony) in order to compute the frequency of the occurrence of the central modal verbs. Thereafter, they were analysed qualitatively to establish the types of modality associated with them. The analysis revealed that climate change-related discourse by King Charles III was marked by a high frequency of the occurrence of the modal verbs will and can. Their frequency, pragmatic roles, and association with the different types of modality are further discussed in the article.

A A corpus-based study on the use of cohesive devices in the lesson plans of pre-service teachers

This study explores the use of cohesive devices in lesson plans (LPs) prepared by pre-service teachers across various subjects, specifically focusing on English, Math, and Biology majorships in a state university in the Philippines. The research highlights the prevalent use of personal references among English pre-service teachers, who favor the word "you" for its role in maintaining a second- and third-person perspective. In contrast, Math and Biology pre-service teachers predominantly employ nominal substitutions and conjunctions to enhance coherence in their LPs. The study also notes the absence of ellipsis in the analyzed LPs and identifies the predominant use of nominal substitution and extension conjunctions across subjects. By comparing the frequency and types of cohesive devices used, the research underscores the variations in linguistic strategies employed by pre-service teachers of different disciplines. The findings suggest a need for greater awareness and training on the effective use of cohesive devices to improve lesson planning and instructional clarity.

Syntax, stress and cognitive load, or on syntactic processing in simultaneous interpreting

Abstract This corpus-based study examines the effect of syntactic complexity in the source language on simultaneous interpreters’ cognitive load and stress. Previous studies show contrasting results regarding the source text syntax and cognitive load in interpreting, while the link between syntactic complexity and interpreters’ stress remains unexplored. Our research aims to fill this gap by measuring cognitive load through filled and silent pauses, and stress through fundamental frequency. We evaluated syntactic complexity by calculating dependency distance, i.e., the number of words between syntactically dependent elements. We used PINC, the Polish Interpreting Corpus (Chmiel et al. 2022), as our dataset. We found that higher syntactic complexity in the source text increases stress and cognitive load among interpreters. Additionally, when interpreters produce complex syntax themselves, their stress increases. The study provides empirical evidence for simplification in interpreting and shows that syntactic complexity in interpreters’ own output does not necessarily lead to increased cognitive load.

Correction to: Measuring the semantic headedness of English blends with token-based semantic vector space modeling: a corpus-based study

Correction to: Measuring the semantic headedness of English blends with token-based semantic vector space modeling: a corpus-based study

Figurative Language and Sensory Perception: Corpus-Based Computer-Assisted Study of the Nature and Motivation of Synesthetic Metaphors in Olive Oil Tasting Notes

ABSTRACT Meaning in sensory language is often built through figurative mechanisms, such as synesthetic metaphors, where a sensorial domain is used to talk about perceptions from a different sense, as in sweet [ taste ] texture [ touch ]. The motivation of synesthetic transfers of meaning has been studied in general and literary language, resulting in attempts to reveal universal patterns regarding the directionality of meaning transfer and sensorial conceptual preference. However, those universals have not been proven in any sensory Language for Specific Purposes (LSP). We a sensory LSP corpus of olive oil tasing notes in English to explore the nature of these metaphors, test existent models and explanatory accounts and identify tendencies present in synesthetic meaning transfers. The computer-assisted semi-automatic scalable methodology followed consists of the innovative quasi-simultaneous identification of semantic incongruences and the classification of synesthetic expressions in the discourse according to the source and target sensorial domains. Results show the inadequacy of existent models to explain synesthetic behavior in olive oil tasting language. The patterns found are discussed in the light of cognitive constraints and LSP genre analysis to conclude that a multi-causal approach is needed to explain the motivation of synesthetic transfers of meaning.

A Corpus-Based Multifactorial Study of Help/help to Alternation in Learners’ Language: From the Perspective of Probabilistic Grammar

This corpus-based multifactorial study delves deeper into the well-known alternation between bare and full infinitive complements, specifically regarding the help concordances. It extends the line of research to learners’ language productions with a focus on comparing and contrasting the probabilistic grammatical knowledge reflected in the help/ help to choices, which are constrained by a complex network of factors. Regression modeling indicates that constraints such as the horror aequi and certain morphological forms of the verb help are comparatively stable among groups of Chinese English language learners and native English speakers. Therefore, the principle of cognitive complexity and the avoidance strategy fueling infinitive variations are further tested. While the object typology differs in effect strength, it also prompts consideration of cultural influences on the part of Chinese English learners. In addition, two different patterns of interaction effects are explored in each dataset, which implies that learners’ language choice is usage-based, determined by an unconscious assessment of multiple clues that are learned from language input and shaped by language experiences.

Conventionalized phrases and disability policy: a corpus analysis of 2-year and 4-year public colleges in California

This corpus-based study analyzes the use of conventionalized phrases in disability policy. Specifically, it focuses on the three phrases made common by the Americans with Disabilities Act: qualified individual with a disability, reasonable accommodations, and interactive process. These three phrases are analyzed in the context of disability policy at 2-year and 4-year public colleges in California. A corpus of disability policies was created for each of these contexts and analyzed to better understand the varied implementation of conventionalized phrases across contexts. The study finds that the three phrases from the ADA have been diffused across higher education disability policies in the corpora created and are highly conventionalized in these contexts. Additionally, these phrases can be used with slightly different valences depending on the context. These differences in use appear to be directly related to the relationship between the three phrases themselves and they mirror debates in disability policy such as that around the modal ‘may’ in relation to whether or not an institution implements an interactive process. Furthermore, institutional differences in the implementation of these phrases is potentially related to the stances institutions take towards disability and disability policy.

A Corpus-Based Study on Grammaticalization and Lexicalization in Medical English

Medical English, as a specialized form of English, has attracted considerable attention due to its unique linguistic features. Grammaticalization and lexicalization represent critical mechanisms in the evolution of language and are essential for understanding and mastering medical English. This study, drawing on the MEDLINE corpus, investigates the characteristics of grammaticalization and lexicalization in medical English from the perspective of cognitive linguistics, aiming to unveil its underlying cognitive foundations. The findings suggest that the processes of grammaticalization and lexicalization in medical English reflect cognitive mechanisms such as categorization, inferential processing, and pragmatic strategies. These insights provide novel approaches and methodologies for the teaching of medical English.

A Corpus-Based Study of Spatial Frames of References in Early Child Mandarin Chinese

This study examines the developmental pattern of spatial frames of reference (FoRs) in Chinese preschoolers using the naturalistic data elicited from the Beijing Early Childhood Mandarin Corpus. Altogether, 2837 static spatial sentences were identified from the corpus, and 785 of them used FoRs; thus, they were analysed using the seven-class FoRs coding system developed from the literature review. The results indicated that: (1) six classes were produced by the Beijing preschoolers, including the direct reference (DR), geomorphic reference (GR), landmark-based reference (LBR), object-centred reference (OCR), relative reference (RR), and people-centred reference (PCR). But, the absolute reference (AR) frequently used by Beijing adults was not produced by the preschoolers; (2) significant age differences were found in the utterances with reference and demonstrative sentences and were also identified in the production of OCR, PCR, and RR; (3) there were no significant gender or gender x age effects in the production of FoRs, except for the no-frame sentences; and (4) there was a stable and consistent pattern of FoRs allocation by age, and the most frequently used was OCR. All these findings indicate interactions among language, culture, and cognition.

Discourse Marker Usage in Argumentative Essays by Saudi Learners of English as Foreign Language: A Quantitative Corpus-based Study

Discourse Marker Usage in Argumentative Essays by Saudi Learners of English as Foreign Language: A Quantitative Corpus-based Study

A Corpus-based Behavioral Profile Study of Synonymous Expressions Meaning “to Start”

Synonymy is an extremely significant component in language learning, and the usage of synonymy is rather flexible and difficult to distinguish. In this research, the author employs a corpus-based behavioral profile approach to study the usage of a set of English synonymous expressions meaning “to start”, namely, start, begin, commence, launch, set out. The author first searches in American Contemporary English Corpus to explore the overall usage frequency and specific genre of each synonymous expression, then randomly selects 500 sentences, and makes manual annotation with 12 ID tag and 46 ID tag levels. Later, hierarchical clustering analysis and correspondence analysis have been employed to examine the semantic differences and usage structures of this set of expressions.The results shows that: ① The overall usage frequency varies greatly—from the highest to the lowest are start, begin, launch, set out, commence. ② They are used in various genres. Start is mainly used in informal styles including blogs, while the other four are mainly used in formal styles, including fictions and magazines. ③ Begin and set out have the greatest semantic similarity; start, begin, and set out form one semantic branch, and commence and launch form another, and there is a huge difference between these two branches. ④ There are great differences between the five expressions and their morphological, syntactic and semantic changes.Quantitative analysis method has been used to reveal the different semantic features and usage of a set of synonymous expressions, which is conducive to both promote the study of synonymous relations, and verify the effectiveness and applicability of the behavioral profile approach in semantic study.

A Corpus-based Study on the Diachronic Change of Negative Emotive Intensifier in English--A Case Study of Dead

A Corpus-based Study on the Diachronic Change of Negative Emotive Intensifier in English--A Case Study of Dead

Marketing Language in Tourism Discourse: Corpus Based Study on Personal Pronoun “You”

This paper investigates the use of the personal pronoun "you" in tourism discourse through a corpus-based study of the Lonely Planet website. As a central element in engaging readers, the pronoun "you" serves to directly address and involve the audience, making the discourse more interactive and persuasive. By analyzing a comprehensive corpus of travel-related texts, this study examines how "you" is strategically utilized to create a personalized experience, guide the reader's journey, and establish a conversational tone in tourism content. The research uncovers patterns in the usage of "you" across various contexts and topics within the website, providing insights into its role in shaping audience perception and enhancing the effectiveness of tourism marketing. This study contributes to a better understanding of linguistic strategies in digital tourism discourse, offering valuable implications for both researchers and professionals in the tourism industry.

A corpus-based study on the “ungrammatical” aren't I

Abstract Concerning the “ungrammatical” interrogative form aren't I, many scholars have made their points. However, these scholars’ arguments are based on their personal observations and few studies have examined this phenomenon against large corpora. This study aimed at investigating the widespread usage of “ungrammatical” contraction form aren't I in question tags from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Based on large corpora, this study showed a clear picture of the current frequency of use of the question tags aren't I and other alternatives (amn't I, ain't I, am I not and an't I) in modern English. From a qualitative perspective, this study found that the reason why aren't I has taken hold as a recognized standard form around the globe lies in that the use of aren't I appears to be a smart coincidence to imply the potential double roles of “I” as both the addresser and the addressee in a monologue. In addition, the fact of the matter that amn't I is difficult to pronounce, am I not is bookish, an't I is old-fashioned and ain't I can only be used in informal situations, increases the popularity of aren't I. The findings of this study can justify the usage of “ungrammatical” aren't I as a natural norm in both British English and American English. These findings open new research avenues alongside pedagogical and sociolinguistic implications for other similar “ungrammatical” language phenomenon.

Measuring the semantic headedness of English blends with token-based semantic vector space modeling: a corpus-based study

Abstract This article analyzes the semantic headedness of English blends with distributional semantics methods. The semantic head of a blend is the source word that transfers its semantic information to the blend as a whole. For example, a sitcom is a kind of comedy. But is FedEx a kind of express, and is wi-fi a kind of fidelity? We use corpus data and token-based semantic vector space modeling in order to address these questions. Specifically, we investigate whether Plag’s ternary division of endocentric, exocentric, and coordinative compounds based on semantic headedness can also be applied to English blends, and whether the general tendency of semantic right-headedness can be observed for all three subtypes. We analyze a dataset of fifty-five blends and their respective source words, using data from the Corpus of Contemporary American English and the English Web Corpus 2021. We measure the degree of semantic similarity between each blend and its two source words. The results show that for most endocentric blends, the hypothesis of semantic right-headedness holds true. At the same time, exocentric blends and coordinative blends are shown to behave differently. We conclude that Plag’s classification offers a useful point of departure for the semantic analysis of blends and that distributional semantics methods can provide new insights into their semantic behavior.

The Expression of Gratitude in English and Arabic Doctoral Dissertation Acknowledgements

Abstract This corpus-based study explores the expression of gratitude in the acknowledgement section of doctoral dissertations in both English and Arabic. The objective is to analyse how gratitude in academic discourse is structured in these languages and to explore any differences related to gender. The study examines 80 dissertations (40 in English and 40 in Arabic), further divided by the authors’ gender (20 male and 20 female for each language). Data collection involved searching for doctoral dissertations from various sources, verifying the authenticity of the native language through biographical checks, and categorising the acknowledgements based on the year and field of study. The analysis utilised a mixed-methods approach based on Hyland and Tse’s (2004) framework, enabling quantitative and qualitative text analysis. The study revealed distinct differences in gratitude expression patterns between English and Arabic dissertations: English acknowledgements often used performative verbs and adjectives, while Arabic acknowledgements primarily employed nominalisation. Notably, Arabic texts showed no use of passive constructions or adjectives. Gender-related differences were also observed, such as the preference for nominalisation among male Arabic authors and the preference for bare mention among female English authors. These findings underscore the significant cultural and linguistic influences on the construction of gratitude in academic acknowledgements. The research contributes valuable insights into pedagogical approaches to teaching academic writing and highlights the interplay between language, culture, and gender in scholarly communications.

The (ever)changing face of news, with broadcast interviews in focus

In this paper I intend to shed light on broadcast news interviews with a focus on the increasing role of video-mediated platforms. To do so, I first overview the rules of conduct journalists are required to follow, pondering on whether the shift to video-platforms has made substantial changes to what recommended in manuals and posited in scholarly studies. Then, I illustrate a corpus-based case study of news interviews carried out by professional journalists with Chinese and Russian diplomats. Similarities and differences between face-to-face and video-mediated interviews as well as between Chinese and Russian interviewees have been identified, with special reference to (a) the format of the questions posed by the journalists, (b) their degree of compliance to the traditional ground rules of conduct in the Q&A interface, (c) the role of the interviewees’ lingua-cultural background and (d) reference to the audience.