Chapter 7. Register and modification in the noun phrase
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Yolande Botha
Abstract
Our study differs from previous studies on the relation between modifiers in the noun phrase and register in that we do pairwise comparisons of ten registers based on the frequency of a modifier form relative to the number of nouns in the register. Using effect size to measure the differences between any two registers, we find that the largest interregister differences correspond to distinctions made in previous multi-dimensional studies. Registers with high proportions of premodifiers tend to be informational and differ most from registers that are more ‘oral-involved’. Large differences in postnominal phrases and non-finite clauses correspond to the information-narrative distinction.
Abstract
Our study differs from previous studies on the relation between modifiers in the noun phrase and register in that we do pairwise comparisons of ten registers based on the frequency of a modifier form relative to the number of nouns in the register. Using effect size to measure the differences between any two registers, we find that the largest interregister differences correspond to distinctions made in previous multi-dimensional studies. Registers with high proportions of premodifiers tend to be informational and differ most from registers that are more ‘oral-involved’. Large differences in postnominal phrases and non-finite clauses correspond to the information-narrative distinction.
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
