Can’t see the wood for the trees?
-
Joan C. Beal
Abstract
This paper provides an overview of the effect of what we might call the “corpus revolution” on Late Modern English (LModE) studies, transforming it from the “Cinderella” of historical linguistic study to the exciting and innovative field that it is today. In acknowledging what has been gained from this turn to corpora, it also discusses whether this is restricting the kinds of research questions being asked and the fields in which research takes place. More specifically, it demonstrates how phonology, which used to dominate historical language studies, has been sidelined due to the lack of searchable corpora or databases of phonological evidence from the LModE period. Finally, it outlines how a corpus of LModE phonology might be created.
Abstract
This paper provides an overview of the effect of what we might call the “corpus revolution” on Late Modern English (LModE) studies, transforming it from the “Cinderella” of historical linguistic study to the exciting and innovative field that it is today. In acknowledging what has been gained from this turn to corpora, it also discusses whether this is restricting the kinds of research questions being asked and the fields in which research takes place. More specifically, it demonstrates how phonology, which used to dominate historical language studies, has been sidelined due to the lack of searchable corpora or databases of phonological evidence from the LModE period. Finally, it outlines how a corpus of LModE phonology might be created.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of abbreviations vii
- Introduction 1
-
Corpus linguistics today and tomorrow
- Can’t see the wood for the trees? 13
- Spelling variation in Middle English manuscripts 31
-
Aspects of language change
- The development of compound numerals in English Biblical translations 49
- The complements of causative make in Late Middle English 59
- The pragmaticalization and intensification of verily , truly and really 75
- Concept-driven semasiology and onomasiology of CLERGY 93
- ANGER and TĒNE in Middle English 109
-
Middle and Modern English case studies
- The subjunctive vs. modal auxiliaries 127
- Some notes on the distribution of the quantifier all in Middle English 141
- Interjections in Middle English 157
- Why and what in Early Modern English drama 177
- Colloquialization and not -contraction in nineteenth-century English 191
-
Wright’s English Dialect Dictionary and thereafter
- The complexity and diversity of the words in Wright’s English Dialect Dictionary 209
- Etymology in the English Dialect Dictionary 225
- Towards an understanding of Joseph Wright’s sources 241
- The importance of being Janus 257
- ... ging uns der ganze alte Dialektbegriff in eine Illusion auf 269
- Index 285
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of abbreviations vii
- Introduction 1
-
Corpus linguistics today and tomorrow
- Can’t see the wood for the trees? 13
- Spelling variation in Middle English manuscripts 31
-
Aspects of language change
- The development of compound numerals in English Biblical translations 49
- The complements of causative make in Late Middle English 59
- The pragmaticalization and intensification of verily , truly and really 75
- Concept-driven semasiology and onomasiology of CLERGY 93
- ANGER and TĒNE in Middle English 109
-
Middle and Modern English case studies
- The subjunctive vs. modal auxiliaries 127
- Some notes on the distribution of the quantifier all in Middle English 141
- Interjections in Middle English 157
- Why and what in Early Modern English drama 177
- Colloquialization and not -contraction in nineteenth-century English 191
-
Wright’s English Dialect Dictionary and thereafter
- The complexity and diversity of the words in Wright’s English Dialect Dictionary 209
- Etymology in the English Dialect Dictionary 225
- Towards an understanding of Joseph Wright’s sources 241
- The importance of being Janus 257
- ... ging uns der ganze alte Dialektbegriff in eine Illusion auf 269
- Index 285
