Corpus Linguistics Research Articles

Prototype-by-component analysis: A corpus-based, intensional approach to ordinary meaning in statutory interpretation

When faced with a word or phrase that is not defined in a statute, judges generally interpret the language of the law as it is likely to be understood by an ordinary user of the language. However, there is little agreement about what ordinary meaning is and how it can be determined. Proponents of corpus-based legal interpretation argue that corpora provide scientific rigor and increased validity and transparency, but there is currently no consensus on best practices for legal corpus linguistics. Our objective in this paper is to propose some refinements to the theory of ordinary meaning and corpus-based methods of analyzing it. We argue that the scope of legal language is established by conceptual (intensional) meaning, and not limited to attested referents. Yet, most current corpus-based approaches are purely referential (extensional). Therefore, we introduce a new methodology—prototype by component (PBC) analysis—in which we bring together aspects of the componential approach and prototype theory by assuming that categories are gradient entities that are characterized by gradient semantic components. We introduce the analytical steps in PBC analysis and apply them to Nix v. Hedden (1893) to determine whether tomato is a member of the category vegetable. We conclude that conceptual categories have a prototypical reality and a componential reality. As a result, attested referents in a corpus can provide insights into the conceptual meaning of terms and the degree to which concepts are members of categories.

Badania nad językowym obrazem świata a semantyka filozoficzna: w poszukiwaniu pokrewieństw

The goal of the paper is to determine the relation between theoretical presuppositions of linguistic worldview studies (LWS) and heterodox strains of philosophical semantics, as well as the connection with the semantic prerequisites of other schools of text linguistics, in particular corpus linguistics. Semantic consequences of the concept of defining in the LWS are presented. It is claimed that they do not pose great constrains on philosophical semantics (e.g. while the concept of stereotype developed by Hillary Putnam needs to be accepted, semantic externalism does not follow). It is proved that LWS are compatible with the concept of meaning-as-use, particularly with semantic inferentialism, as developed by Robert Brandom and Jaroslav Peregrin. The paper also considers the ontological status of meaning reconstructions proposed in the framework of the LWS, as an answer to critiques originating in more traditionalist or minimalist approaches to semantics. It is demonstrated that similar issues occur in other strains of text linguistics, for instance, in corpus linguistics. However, the paper claims that methodological precision and proper choice of a text corpus guarantee results satisfying from the perspective of empirical linguistics.

Generative AI for corpus approaches to discourse studies: A critical evaluation of ChatGPT

This paper explores the potential of generative artificial intelligence technology, specifically ChatGPT, for advancing corpus approaches to discourse studies. The contribution of artificial intelligence technologies to linguistics research has been transformational, both in the contexts of corpus linguistics and discourse analysis. However, shortcomings in the efficacy of such technologies for conducting automated qualitative analysis have limited their utility for corpus approaches to discourse studies. Acknowledging that new technologies in data analysis can replace and supplement existing approaches, and in view of the potential affordances of ChatGPT for automated qualitative analysis, this paper presents three replication case studies designed to investigate the applicability of ChatGPT for supporting automated qualitative analysis within studies using corpus approaches to discourse analysis.The findings indicate that, generally, ChatGPT performs reasonably well when semantically categorising keywords; however, as the categorisation is based on decontextualised keywords, the categories can appear quite generic, limiting the value of such an approach for analysing corpora representing specialised genres and/or contexts. For concordance analysis, ChatGPT performs poorly, as the results include false inferences about the concordance lines and, at times, modifications of the input data. Finally, for function-to-form analysis, ChatGPT also performs poorly, as it fails to identify and analyse direct and indirect questions. Overall, the results raise questions about the affordances of ChatGPT for supporting automated qualitative analysis within corpus approaches to discourse studies, signalling issues of repeatability and replicability, ethical challenges surrounding data integrity, and the challenges associated with using non-deterministic technology for empirical linguistic research.

Corpus linguistics and generative AI tools in term extraction: a case of Kashubian – a low-resource language

Electronic corpora have been an indispensable resource in a variety of language studies, including linguistics, lexicography or terminology. Provided that they are compiled in a systematic manner, such text collections can provide high quality data that can be readily used in a specific study or can be directly applied to a specific practical project. However, the creation of a usable corpus depends on the availability and the quality of source texts and the tools that are used for its processing. Another factor that often plays a significant role in successful ad hoc applications of corpora is their immediate accessibility. Recent developments in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) have rendered the idea of instantaneous access to language data a feasible possibility. This paper discusses the results of a study into the feasibility of applying modern corpus and GenAI tools in the extraction of biological terminology in Kashubian, a regional language spoken in the north-central part of Poland (Kashubia). The overarching goal was to identify modern and effective tools that could be used by terminologists, lexicographers, translators, and teachers of Kashubian.

A Digital Humanities Approach to the Emergence of CULTURE as a Liquid Modern Word: Evidence From Synchronic and Diachronic Language Resources

As empirical approaches to the study of natural language based on digital technology, corpus linguistics and computational linguistics are two faces of the same coin, whosevalue lies in the attempt to integrate quantitative and qualitative aspects of linguistic analysis. This attempt has become all the more challenging in recent years as the language data at our disposal grows day by day. Indeed, the changing nature of language resources in the era of big data has inevitably also changed the research questions that it is possible to address (Hiltunen et al, 2017). The increase and variety of the data available has opened up new horizons, by empirically supporting research questions concerning social phenomena, or by providing new hints for tracking language change, as is the case with the novel discipline of Modern Diachronic Corpus-Assisted Language Change (Alessi & Partington, 2020). These new research areas are continually evolving and expanding also thanks to a growing number of easy-to-access resources and tools so that the fields of corpus linguistics, digital linguistics and digital humanities “overlap, intertwine and feed off each other when it comes to making use of the increasing variety of resources available for linguistic research today” (Nevalainen, Suhr and Taavitsainen, 2019, p.1).It is against this background that the present article reports on the preliminary results of a corpus-based investigation into the process that has transformed the very specific material meaning of the word “culture” into the extremely elusive, liquid concept we are familiar with today. The analysis starts from the findings of earlier investigation of the lexico-grammar profile of the world “culture” based on contemporary synchronic corpus resources and attempts further exploration of these findings on the basis of diachronic language resources, such as Google Books and the English Historical Book Collection.

The representation of migration in parliamentary settings: critical cross-linguistics corpus-assisted discourse analyses

This study examines migration representation in three parliamentary chambers: the Spanish Chamber, the European Parliament, and the British House of Commons. The time span of its analysis coincides with the eighth Legislature of Spain (2004–2008). The reasons for this decision are straightforward. If parliaments portray or construct ideological debates in democratic societies, it seems logical to turn our attention to them as a means of assessing the nature and quality of comparable but different multicultural environments in which migration is a major defining feature. Furthermore, this time span allows for an examination of such societies at different ideological phases, for example, Spain’s conceptualisation of migration in the initial stages of parliamentary representation. The study expands the method of corpus-assisted analysis through a critical theoretical framework proposed by the socio-political scientist Zapata-Barrero. Data were obtained from the European Comparable and Parallel Corpus Archive of Parliamentary Speeches. Well-established tools in corpus linguistics, such as frequency and collocation, were employed, leading to an examination of Zapata-Barrero’s reactive and proactive discourses. The quantitative methods used were especially in-depth, undertaking an exhaustive descriptive and statistical treatment and aiming to strengthen the validity of subsequent qualitative analyses. Consequently, a virtuous circle was achieved: the corpus linguistic procedures reached higher levels of theoretical abstraction, while Zapata-Barrero’s framework gained robustness and more potential for generalisation. The study’s originality, thus, lies in the mutual synergies activated by this theoretical and methodological combination.

EFL Instructors’ Corpus Literacy and Their Perceptions of Using Corpora to Teach L2 Vocabulary

Corpus literacy is "the ability to use the technology of corpus linguistics to investigate language and enhance the language development of students” (Heather & Helt, 2012, p.417). The recent literature focused primarily on the perceptions of students and teachers about corpus use in learning and teaching vocabulary or investigated corpus literacy alone, but EFL teachers' corpus literacy is not explored. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-method design to investigate the corpus literacy of EFL instructors and their perceptions of using corpora to teach second-language vocabulary. A total of 41 EFL instructors working in 17 different state universities in Turkiye participated in the study. Data were gathered through a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The results showed that the EFL instructors had low to medium levels of corpus literacy. In addition, there was no correlation between corpus literacy and the teaching experience of the participants. The results also showed that despite their familiarity with corpora, the instructors had never used one to teach vocabulary. Furthermore, the majority of the participants learned about corpora and corpus tools during their Ph.D. and MA studies in English language teaching and linguistics, mostly through coursework and publications.

Review of Translation Quality Assessment Research: Current Studies and Development

The development of computer automatic assessment and corpus linguistics has provided a new research idea for translation quality assessment. This paper reviews the current situation of translation quality assessment at home and abroad and its application in translation teaching. Findings are that most of the current translation quality assessments are static, and the empirical research applied in translation teaching is not sufficient. Therefore, how to make the assessment model of translation quality keep pace with translation teachers and learners’ needs is an unavoidable issue that cannot be ignored in the future translation quality assessment research.

Psycholinguistics, Corpus Linguistics, and Text Analytics: Potential for Interaction

This article explores the possibilities of interaction between psycholinguistics, corpus linguistics, and text mining. When it comes to big data processing, the recent advances in psycholinguistics must be taken into account. In our digital reality, we should no longer view text as a mere sum of individual language units that are assembled based on their similarities in meaning. The insights of psycholinguistics into text have been revised, as in-depth text analysis unravels the new roles of the sender and the recipient, bringing to the fore qualitative methods for processing large data arrays. Without studying the mechanisms of speech generation and perception, it is impossible to improve language neural networks and machine translation engines. Here, the potential of psycholinguistics for training specialists in text analytics is discussed. As an example, the advantages of integrating the disciplines “Psycholinguistics” and “Psycholinguistic Methods for Studying Language and Text” into the psychological and linguistic module of the Master’s program “Text Analytics in Education and Science”, which has been launched at Kazan Federal University (Russia), are shown. The psycholinguistic component of the discipline “Corpus Linguistics” for Master’s students is described.

Pembelajaran dan Pengajaran Tata Bahasa Berdasarkan Korpus

This study is prompted by the advancement of corpus-based methods in the realm of grammar education. The primary objective of this research is to assess the requirements and the perceived significance of integrating corpus linguistics into the methodologies of grammar instruction. Employing an experimental research approach, the study involves participants who are undergraduate students majoring in Indonesian Language and Literature Education as well as English Language Education. The research utilizes the Leipzig Indonesian Mix_2013 and English-corpus.org corpora. The outcomes of this investigation offer an insight into the teaching of grammar through the incorporation of corpora, drawing comparisons based on the outcomes prior to the experimental sessions. The findings from this study highlight that the implementation of corpus linguistics within grammar learning and teaching methodologies yields a favorable impact on students' comprehension of grammar rules. The analysis of needs underscores students' recognition of the importance of integrating corpus elements into grammar education, particularly given the diverse and evolving language contexts prevalent in daily life. This perception is further reinforced by the results of the experimental phase, which demonstrate a substantial enhancement in grammar comprehension within the group exposed to corpus-based instruction. The deeper understanding gained regarding the real-world application of grammar in communicative scenarios equips students with enhanced readiness to apply grammatical concepts effectively in practical contexts. In conclusion, this research underscores the pivotal role of corpus linguistics in augmenting the efficacy of grammar education. The study provides valuable insights into the potential advantages associated with the integration of corpus-driven methodologies into language instruction, considering the dynamic nature of language usage in contemporary society. Furthermore, the outcomes emphasize the significance of aligning teaching practices with the evolving landscape of language usage.

Computers’ Interpretations of Knowledge Representation Using Pre-Conceptual Schemas: An Approach Based on the BERT and Llama 2-Chat Models

Pre-conceptual schemas are a straightforward way to represent knowledge using controlled language regardless of context. Despite the benefits of using pre-conceptual schemas by humans, they present challenges when interpreted by computers. We propose an approach to making computers able to interpret the basic pre-conceptual schemas made by humans. To do that, the construction of a linguistic corpus is required to work with large language models—LLM. The linguistic corpus was mainly fed using Master’s and doctoral theses from the digital repository of the University of Nariño to produce a training dataset for re-training the BERT model; in addition, we complement this by explaining the elicited sentences in triads from the pre-conceptual schemas using one of the cutting-edge large language models in natural language processing: Llama 2-Chat by Meta AI. The diverse topics covered in these theses allowed us to expand the spectrum of linguistic use in the BERT model and empower the generative capabilities using the fine-tuned Llama 2-Chat model and the proposed solution. As a result, the first version of a computational solution was built to consume the language models based on BERT and Llama 2-Chat and thus automatically interpret pre-conceptual schemas by computers via natural language processing, adding, at the same time, generative capabilities. The validation of the computational solution was performed in two phases: the first one for detecting sentences and interacting with pre-conceptual schemas with students in the Formal Languages and Automata Theory course—the seventh semester of the systems engineering undergraduate program at the University of Nariño’s Tumaco campus. The second phase was for exploring the generative capabilities based on pre-conceptual schemas; this second phase was performed with students in the Object-oriented Design course—the second semester of the systems engineering undergraduate program at the University of Nariño’s Tumaco campus. This validation yielded favorable results in implementing natural language processing using the BERT and Llama 2-Chat models. In this way, some bases were laid for future developments related to this research topic.

The Texas Historical Markers Program: Racial and Ethnic Narratives

In this article we explore the text of the over 16,000 historical markers erected in the state since 1936, using GIS and corpus linguistics to determine the where, how, what, and when of how Texas memorializes its racial and ethnic groups. Unsurprisingly, our results indicate that the story of Texas is implicitly a narrative of white people. More interestingly, the term “African (Americans)” begins to be commemorated especially after the 1990s, but only in stories of community, religion, school, and children, as Texas historical markers do not to dwell on narratives of slavery, the civil rights movement, and lynchings. “Indians” and “Mexicans” in the 1930s and 1960s exemplify the most egregious case of derogatory semantics we found in the markers. As concerns racial and ethnic groups, in general they tend to be memorialized where they were historically present, whether or not such groups are still there. The analysis also reveals the increasing concentration of the markers in urban areas.

Book Review: The Language of Mental Illness: Corpus Linguistics and the Construction of Mental Illness in the Press

Book Review: The Language of Mental Illness: Corpus Linguistics and the Construction of Mental Illness in the Press

Adapting Corpus Linguistics for Primary EFL Education in Vietnam: Perspectives from Linguistics Scholars

This qualitative study investigates the perspectives of Vietnamese linguistics scholars on the integration of corpus linguistics into primary English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. Through semi-structured interviews with nine scholars from two leading Vietnamese institutions, the research explores the applicability, challenges, and strategies of implementing corpus linguistics for young learners in Vietnam. Participants, categorized into novice, mid-career, and near-end career stages, offer diverse viewpoints on this innovative teaching approach. The underpinning theoretical frameworks are sociocultural theory and constructivist learning theory. The thematic analysis reveals four key themes: tailoring corpus linguistics to young learners’ needs and abilities, the challenges in implementing corpus linguistics in primary EFL settings, the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, and the role of cultural context in corpus linguistics application. The study finds a consensus on the need for simplifying and contextualizing corpus materials to suit young learners’ cognitive and cultural backgrounds. Challenges identified include adapting corpus materials, teacher training inadequacies, and curriculum integration difficulties. The gap between theory and practice highlights the need for hands-on teacher training and comprehensive resource development. Furthermore, the importance of culturally relevant corpus materials is emphasized, balancing local and global cultural elements. This study contributes to the field of EFL education by highlighting the specific challenges and strategies for implementing corpus linguistics in the Vietnamese primary education context. It underscores the importance of culturally and pedagogically sensitive approaches in language teaching innovations.

The problem of migration in post-2007 Serbian media discourse about Europe: From topic modelling to qualitative discourse analysis

The study uses linguistic corpus tools in order to establish in what contexts the issue of migration in Europe was addressed in the Serbian press in the period 2007–2017. About 20,000 randomly chosen texts from the dailies Politika and Danas were subjected to topic modelling, collocational profiling, and also a contextual examination in the case of the paper editions. The interpretation of the data considered the effect of the medium’s ideological slant on the discourse structures used. It emerged that the selection of topics and the arrangement of texts in the liberal daily Danas corresponded to its pro-European profile. Politika, in turn, seemed to be gradually shifting towards the portrayal of Europe as being mired in crisis. In addition, the procedure used in the study enabled reflection on the usefulness of the results of topic modelling for media discourse analysis.

A Corpus Linguistic Analysis of Characterisation in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah

Research in Corpus Linguistics has provided insights into the literary meanings of texts over the past few decades. Building on this foundation, this study aims to enhance the understanding of literary texts by employing corpus tools to analyze the methods of characterisation in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel, Americanah (2013). Specifically, it uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the themes and characters in the novel, illuminating the author’s ideas and style. Through a corpus-based approach, this research examines the keywords and clusters that define the novel’s narrative structure, revealing the ideologies and literary techniques Adichie uses to craft characters and impart meaning about their experiences. The characterisation analysis uncovers recurring themes, rhetorical strategies, and linguistic patterns that enrich the portrayal of characters and narrative progression. The findings provide insights valuable for educational contexts, allowing students and readers to gain a thorough understanding of the text prior to delving into its more complex aspects.

Language corpus and data driven learning (DDL) in language classrooms: A systematic review

This systematic review presents a comprehensive analysis of the literature on the use of corpora and data-driven learning (DDL) in language education. Corpus linguistics encompasses the use of electronic text collections for linguistic analysis, while DDL entails using corpora for pedagogical purposes in second/foreign language teaching. DDL allows language educators to move beyond traditional methods to enhance teaching practices and learning skills. An extensive database search identified 89 pertinent studies published between 1997 and 2022 that met the inclusion criteria. The selected studies focused on keywords such as "DDL," "corpus linguistics," and related phrases to identify relevant literature discussing DDL interventions in language classrooms. Only English, peer-reviewed texts with accessible PDFs were considered for inclusion. These studies described DDL implementation in classroom settings and the common pedagogical practices, difficulties, and limitations encountered. The findings suggest that DDL has significant potential as a pedagogical tool, but challenges exist that limit its positive impact on language learning. Tailored tasks, auxiliary guidance, supplemental support, and peer/group learning were identified as effective strategies for facilitating meaningful corpus engagement for lower-proficiency students.

The Nominative Field of HAPPINESS Concept in the Middle English and Modern English Periods

Introduction. The article presents the result of the diachronical research of HAPPINESS concept nominative field. The research was conducted on the basis of English explanatory dictionaries and texts of corpus databases, using the methods of corpus linguistics. The relevance of the research is due to the insufficient development of the theoretical foundations for studying the evolution of nominations and components of the concept under study, and the development of corpus linguistics as one of the most relevant ways of studying concepts.Methodology and sources. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research is formed by cognitive linguistics studies by N.N. Boldyrev, Y.S. Stepanov, E.S. Kubryakova, E.A. Nielsen, Z.D. Popova, I.A. Sternin; conceptology studies, in particular, emotional concepts, and emotiology studies by N.A. Krasavsky, V.I. Shakhovsky and O.E. Filimonova. The empirical material of the study is based on the texts of English corpus databases, as well as articles of English explanatory and etymological dictionaries.Results and discussion. Based on the method of constructing the nominative field described by Popova and Sternin and using the material of English explanatory dictionaries for the Middle and Modern English, the core of HAPPINESS concept is revealed. Based on the texts of English corpus databases, using corpus linguistics methods, as well as the collocation search model compiled by the author, the concept’s nominative field’s peripheral components are identified. Based on the analysis, the proposed changes in the composition of the nominative field of the concept in diachrony are revealed.Conclusion. In conclusion, the results of the analysis of the nominative field of HAPPINESS concept are presented, and the provisions on the nature of the development of the concept in diachrony are put forward.

Corpora in English Language Teacher Education: Research, Integration, and Resources

AbstractFor some time, arguments have been made that for the increased successful use of corpus linguistics (CL), in the form of Data‐Driven Learning (DDL; Johns, 1991) in the second language classroom, teacher education programs must play a central role by providing the necessary instruction and triggers. Three means of integrating corpora into teacher education have been identified (Leńko‐Szymańska, 2022): as a tool for language awareness, as pedagogically‐focussed instruction for DDL, and as a fully‐fledged CL course. It is difficult to gauge the effectiveness of these three approaches because we can only rely on the relatively few, but growing, number of research studies that are published. Naturally, the existing studies are based on relatively small numbers of participants, rely mainly on data collected through questionnaires and self‐reports, and rarely trace the extended effects of the instruction after the student teachers leave the programs. It is also hard to generalize from these accounts as they are deeply imbedded in their institutional curricula and their local teacher education traditions. Nonetheless, they provide a foundation for the discussion in this paper which proposes a tripartite framework for the integration of instructional CL into language teacher education programs. This consists of corpus literacies, corpus‐based language pedagogy, and corpus‐based reflective practice. In addition, we present a summary of some useful published resources that can be used to support the integration of such a framework.

Student Perception on Data-Driven Learning

With the boosting of information technologies, language instructors and subject teachers have been provided with new opportunities in designing teaching materials and methods. Electronic corpora and available software solutions also provide easier access to professional material, both for teachers and their students. We, therefore, sought to explore the possibilities to utilize contemporary corpus linguistics methods in teaching technical vocabulary. Specifically, we conducted research with Marine Engineering students at the Faculty of Maritime Studies Kotor, University of Montenegro, during one academic semester. The method applied was the so-called Data-Driven Learning (DDL), which anticipates the student’s exposure to authentic professional material. In our specific case, it included an electronic corpus comprised of marine engineering instruction books on main engines made available to the students through the distance-learning Moodle platform. By the end of the experimental semester of teaching/learning technical vocabulary through homework assignments related to marine engineering instruction books and manuals, we conducted a semi-structured interview with the students in order to provide their feedback, impressions and suggestions. The obtained and processed data show their positive responses to corpus linguistics methods, especially towards professional material they will need to rely on during their future careers. The DDL method also proved to promote the students’ autonomy and help in overcoming differences in learning strategies, which recommends it as a solid foundation for the life-learning process of the seafarers-to-be.