Visualizing distances in a set of near-synonyms
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Guillaume Desagulier
Abstract
I aim to uncover revealing aspects of the conceptual structure of four English moderators (rather, quite, fairly, and pretty) and shed new light on previous studies on degree modifiers. I develop an original methodology for handling and visualizing measures of significant attraction between lexical items. This methodology combines univariate and multivariate statistics. Collexeme analysis is used as input for hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis, and multiple distinctive collexeme analysis is used as input for correspondence analysis. Visualizing collexemes with exploratory tools does more than depict proximities and distances between individuals and variables. It is also an accurate means to (a) unveil fine semantic differences in a set of near-synonymous constructions, (b) determine entrenchment continua, and (c) represent a significant part of the complex inventory of intensifying constructions.
Abstract
I aim to uncover revealing aspects of the conceptual structure of four English moderators (rather, quite, fairly, and pretty) and shed new light on previous studies on degree modifiers. I develop an original methodology for handling and visualizing measures of significant attraction between lexical items. This methodology combines univariate and multivariate statistics. Collexeme analysis is used as input for hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis, and multiple distinctive collexeme analysis is used as input for correspondence analysis. Visualizing collexemes with exploratory tools does more than depict proximities and distances between individuals and variables. It is also an accurate means to (a) unveil fine semantic differences in a set of near-synonymous constructions, (b) determine entrenchment continua, and (c) represent a significant part of the complex inventory of intensifying constructions.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- Outline 1
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Section 1. Polysemy and synonymy
- Polysemy and synonymy 7
- Competing ‘transfer’ constructions in Dutch 39
- Rethinking constructional polysemy 61
- Quantifying polysemy in Cognitive Sociolinguistics 87
- The many uses of run 117
- Visualizing distances in a set of near-synonyms 145
- A case for the multifactorial assessment of learner language 179
- Dutch causative constructions 205
- The semasiological structure of Polish myśleć ‘to think’ 223
- A multifactorial corpus analysis of grammatical synonymy 253
- A diachronic corpus-based multivariate analysis of “I think that” vs. “I think zero” 279
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Section 2. Statistical techniques
- Techniques and tools 307
- Statistics in R 343
- Frequency tables 365
- Collostructional analysis 391
- Cluster analysis 405
- Correspondence analysis 443
- Logistic regression 487
- Name index 535
- Subject index 541
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- Outline 1
-
Section 1. Polysemy and synonymy
- Polysemy and synonymy 7
- Competing ‘transfer’ constructions in Dutch 39
- Rethinking constructional polysemy 61
- Quantifying polysemy in Cognitive Sociolinguistics 87
- The many uses of run 117
- Visualizing distances in a set of near-synonyms 145
- A case for the multifactorial assessment of learner language 179
- Dutch causative constructions 205
- The semasiological structure of Polish myśleć ‘to think’ 223
- A multifactorial corpus analysis of grammatical synonymy 253
- A diachronic corpus-based multivariate analysis of “I think that” vs. “I think zero” 279
-
Section 2. Statistical techniques
- Techniques and tools 307
- Statistics in R 343
- Frequency tables 365
- Collostructional analysis 391
- Cluster analysis 405
- Correspondence analysis 443
- Logistic regression 487
- Name index 535
- Subject index 541
