Corpus Linguistics: Investigating Language Structure and Use

by Douglas Biber , Susan Conrad , Randi Reppen

• ISBN13: 9780521499576
• ISBN10: 0521499577
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-05-13
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

This book is about investigating the way people use language in speech and writing. It introduces the corpus-based approach to the study of language, based on analysis of large databases of real language examples and illustrates exciting new findings about language and the different ways that people speak and write. The book is important both for its step-by-step descriptions of research methods and for its findings about grammar and vocabulary, language use, language learning, and differences in language use across texts and user groups.

Table of Contents

Preface

1. Introduction: goals and methods of the corpus-based approach

Part I. Investigating the use of language features: 2. Lexicography

3. Grammar

4. Lexico-grammar

5. The study of discourse characteristics

Part II. Investigating the characteristics of varieties: 6. Register variation and English for special purposes

7. Language acquisition and development

8. Historical and stylistic investigations

Part III. Summing up and looking ahead: 9. Conclusion

Part IV. Methodology boxes: Appendix

Notes and suggestions for further reading

References

Index.