Chapter 2. Extending text-linguistic studies of register variation to a continuous situational space
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Douglas Biber
Abstract
In text-linguistic register research, distributions of linguistic features across registers are theorized as having a functional relationship to the situational context. A strength of this approach is its focus on frequencies of linguistic features across texts/registers. Situational variables, by contrast, have not been measured with the same granularity. Only recently have text-linguistic researchers begun to treat situational characteristics as continuous variables that vary between registers, and also across texts within registers. In the current chapter, we discuss the theoretical foundation of this perspective and present two studies of register variation from a continuous situation perspective. For both, we present methods for coding situational variables as continuous as well as key findings facilitated by the continuous situation perspective.
Abstract
In text-linguistic register research, distributions of linguistic features across registers are theorized as having a functional relationship to the situational context. A strength of this approach is its focus on frequencies of linguistic features across texts/registers. Situational variables, by contrast, have not been measured with the same granularity. Only recently have text-linguistic researchers begun to treat situational characteristics as continuous variables that vary between registers, and also across texts within registers. In the current chapter, we discuss the theoretical foundation of this perspective and present two studies of register variation from a continuous situation perspective. For both, we present methods for coding situational variables as continuous as well as key findings facilitated by the continuous situation perspective.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Biographical notes ix
- Chapter 1. A corpus-based approach to register variation 1
- Chapter 2. Extending text-linguistic studies of register variation to a continuous situational space 19
- Chapter 3. How register-specific is probabilistic grammatical knowledge? 51
- Chapter 4. Theme as a proxy for register categorization 85
- Chapter 5. Between context and community 111
- Chapter 6. A register variation perspective on varieties of English 143
- Chapter 7. Register and modification in the noun phrase 179
- Chapter 8. A register approach toward pop lyrics in EFL education 209
- Chapter 9. On the importance of register in learner writing 235
- Chapter 10. Nominalizations in Early Modern English 259
- Chapter 11. Measuring informativity 291
- Chapter 12. Exploring sub-register variation in Victorian newspapers 313
- Index 339
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Biographical notes ix
- Chapter 1. A corpus-based approach to register variation 1
- Chapter 2. Extending text-linguistic studies of register variation to a continuous situational space 19
- Chapter 3. How register-specific is probabilistic grammatical knowledge? 51
- Chapter 4. Theme as a proxy for register categorization 85
- Chapter 5. Between context and community 111
- Chapter 6. A register variation perspective on varieties of English 143
- Chapter 7. Register and modification in the noun phrase 179
- Chapter 8. A register approach toward pop lyrics in EFL education 209
- Chapter 9. On the importance of register in learner writing 235
- Chapter 10. Nominalizations in Early Modern English 259
- Chapter 11. Measuring informativity 291
- Chapter 12. Exploring sub-register variation in Victorian newspapers 313
- Index 339
