Chapter 6: The Corpus In Lexicography (Landau) ENG 3 ✓ Solved
Chapter 6: The Corpus in Lexicography (Landau) ‹#› ENG 310
Introduction to Corpus in Lexicography
A corpus in lexicography refers to any body of text collected to analyze its features. In the modern context, it typically denotes an electronic corpus that encompasses a vast number of words from various sources. Prior to the digital age, corpora were painstakingly created by hand, with the Teacher’s Word Book, compiled by Edward Thorndike, being one of the first large-scale corpora for lexical study.
The Historical Evolution of Corpora
The development of corpora has been significantly influenced by the educational needs of English Language Teaching (ELT) and English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. An influential pre-electronic corpus was Palmer's Interim Report on Vocabulary Selection in 1936, which provided essential insight into vocabulary for teaching purposes. In contrast, the rise of computer technology has propelled the creation of corpora, making them more accessible and expansive.
The Impact of Linguistic Theories
Linguistic theories, particularly those that stemmed from Noam Chomsky, had a substantial impact on how language studies developed. The Chomskyan perspective often viewed quantitative approaches with skepticism, asserting that an analysis of language should be more focused on grammar rather than usage statistics. However, the establishment of corpus linguistics prompted new methodologies that embraced quantitative analysis.
Significant Corpora in Linguistic Studies
The “Brown Corpus” marked a turning point as the first major, computer-based study that set a standard for future linguistic explorations. Other noteworthy corpora, such as the LOB Corpus and Quirk’s Survey of English Usage, also contributed significantly to the field. More recently, projects like COBUILD have redefined how lexical data is analyzed and presented, supporting the argument for a corpus-based approach in lexicography.
Modern Applications of Corpora in Lexicography
In contemporary lexicography, the application of corpora allows lexicographers to study the frequency and collocation of words. They can analyze how certain words co-occur in various contexts, leading to a deeper understanding of language usage. For example, the practice of concordancing—where word “tags” are used to enhance search capabilities—has improved the efficacy of dictionary compilation.
Challenges in Compiling a Corpus
Despite the advances in technology, the process of compiling a comprehensive corpus presents its own set of challenges. Dictionary usage of corpora has demonstrated numerous benefits, leading to enhanced dictionary quality. However, the transition to a fully corpus-driven approach requires significant reworking, which could be a costly and time-consuming endeavor.
The Future of Corpora in Lexicography
As we move forward, the integration of advanced technologies in corpus creation and analysis will likely continue to shape lexicography. This ongoing development points towards more sophisticated methods of identifying lexical patterns, thereby elevating the standards of dictionary publications. The future of corpus use in lexicography is promising, as it aligns closely with the evolving nature of language and its usage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the role of corpora in lexicography has transformed drastically from manual compilations to sophisticated electronic databases. This evolution has improved the quality of lexical studies and dictionaries, allowing for detailed analysis of language as it is used in real-life contexts. With continued advancements in technology and methodology, the future of corpus linguistics holds immense potential for enriching our understanding of language.
References
- Landau, S. I. (2001). Dictionaries: The Art and Craft of Lexicography. Cambridge University Press.
- McEnery, T., & Wilson, A. (2001). Corpus Linguistics: An Introduction. Edinburgh University Press.
- Bernard, M. (2006). Corpus Linguistics. In The Cambridge Handbook of Linguistics. Cambridge University Press.
- Hunston, S. (2002). Corpora in Applied Linguistics. Cambridge University Press.
- Kilgarriff, A., & Grefenstette, G. (2003). Introduction to the Special Issue on the Web as Corpus. Linguistic Issues in Language Technology.
- Sinclair, J. (1991). Corpus, Concordance, Collocation. Oxford University Press.
- Stubbs, M. (2001). Words and Phrases: Corpus Studies of Lexical Semantics. Blackwell Publishing.
- Biber, D. (1993). Representativeness in Corpus Design. Literary and Linguistic Computing, 8(4), 243-257.
- Ghazarian, A., & Bader, M. (2013). The Role of Corpora in Lexicography: A Review. International Journal of Linguistics, 5(1), 63-78.
- O'Keeffe, A., & McCarthy, M. (2010). From Corpus to Classroom: Language Use and Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.