CORPUS LINGUISTICS Meaning and
Definition
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Corpus linguistics refers to a research methodology and a subfield of linguistics that utilizes large collections of natural language texts, known as corpora, to investigate various aspects of language. It involves the systematic and quantitative analysis of these textual databases to uncover patterns, regularities, and trends, which can then be used to better understand and describe language usage.
In corpus linguistics, a corpus typically consists of millions to billions of words, covering written and spoken language from diverse genres, registers, and time periods. This comprehensive data allows researchers to study language from a more realistic and representative perspective than relying on limited and biased sources.
Corpus linguistics employs computer programs and statistical techniques to process and analyze linguistic data. Researchers can identify and quantify lexical and grammatical patterns, study collocations and phraseology, investigate linguistic variations across different contexts or user groups, and examine language change over time. Corpora can also be searched and analyzed to investigate language phenomena related to semantics, pragmatics, discourse, and sociolinguistics.
The insights gleaned from corpus linguistics aid in many practical applications, such as dictionary compilation, language teaching, translation and interpretation, language policy development, and natural language processing in computer science. Corpus linguistics' empirical approach enables researchers to make evidence-based claims and draw reliable conclusions about language usage, providing a valuable tool for understanding the complexities of human language.
Etymology of CORPUS LINGUISTICS
The word "corpus linguistics" is derived from Latin and English.
The term "corpus" comes from Latin, where it originally referred to a "body" or "collection". In the context of linguistics, the term "corpus" refers to a vast and structured collection of written or spoken texts that serve as a representative sample of a language or languages.
The word "linguistics" is derived from the English word "linguistic", which comes from the Latin word "lingua", meaning "tongue" or "language", and the suffix "-istic", which denotes the study or science of a particular field. Linguistics, therefore, refers to the scientific study of language, including its structure, form, and use.
