Tsanko I. I., Holyk S. V.
Uzhhorod National University
«Іноземна філологія у ХХІ столітті»: тези доповідей ХVІ Міжнародної наукової конференції (м. Запоріжжя, 22 листопада 2024 р.) · Запорізький національний університет, факультет іноземної філології · у 2 т. · Запоріжжя: ЗНУ, 2024. Т. 2 · 2024
Where can a teacher find examples so that an English lesson sounds like living language rather than artificial textbook sentences? Ivan Tsanko and S. V. Holyk offer an answer: corpus linguistics. A corpus is a large collection of real texts stored in an electronic database, while a concordance shows every occurrence of a target word together with the context to its left and right. With such a tool a teacher can see which words are genuinely the most frequent (frequency lists such as the GSL and the AWL help here) and build vocabulary around them. Collocations are just as visible — the habitual word pairs like make a decision or take a chance that make speech sound natural.
Grammar works the same way: instead of rules divorced from use, the corpus gives living examples, so it is clear when a tense or a modal verb really belongs in formal writing and when in conversation. Exercises follow easily: classic gap-fill tasks on high-frequency vocabulary and collocations, or grammar discovery tasks where learners study concordance lines themselves and deduce the rule rather than receive it ready-made. The corpus also helps to pick authentic reading texts pitched exactly to a group’s level. The takeaway is simple: when teaching rests on real language data, it moves closer to the way people actually speak and write.
«Іноземна філологія у ХХІ столітті»: тези доповідей ХVІ Міжнародної наукової конференції (м. Запоріжжя, 22 листопада 2024 р.) · Запорізький національний університет, факультет іноземної філології · у 2 т. · Запоріжжя: ЗНУ, 2024. Т. 2 · pp. 107–110 · 2024
The invention of computers and the Internet has significantly changed people’s lives, which has had an impact on education that have been modified and adapted to modern digital reality. The Internet, in particular, continuously presents new opportunities, paving the way for the implementation of innovative educational methodologies. Among these methodologies, the utilization of linguistic corpora in teaching foreign languages stands out as a promising approach. Being a relatively new and rapidly developing scientific phenomenon, corpus linguistics is subject to polar interpretations, ranging from a branch of linguistics [Renouf 2005] to merely a methodology of linguistic investigation [Gries 2009, p. 1225]. The specificity of the definition of corpus linguistics lies in its interdisciplinary nature: the task being purely linguistic, whereas the methodology relying completely on statistical tools and computer technologies [Бобкова 2014, c. 5].
In a general sense, corpus linguistics is “a specific way of studying language and languages by systematically investigating how language is used in context” [Barth, Schnell 2021, p. 1]. The core concepts of corpus linguistics are a corpus and concordance. A corpus is essentially a collection of texts stored in an electronic database [Baker 2006, p. 48]. This database serves as the foundation for linguistic analysis, providing a vast array of language samples for examination and study. Concordance, on the other hand, is a list of all of the occurrences of a particular search term in a corpus, presented within the context in which they occur – usually a few words to the left and right of the search term [Baker 2006, p. 42]. This contextual presentation allows researchers to analyze how the term is used in various linguistic contexts, offering valuable insights into its meaning, usage patterns, and collocational preferences. Corpus linguistics can be defined as “…the complete and systematic investigation of linguistic phenomena on the basis of linguistic corpora using concordances, collocations, and frequency lists” [Stefanowitsch 2020, p. 54]. Based on the aforementioned information it can be concluded that corpus linguistics investigates language using large collections of authentic texts or spoken language samples called corpora. By analyzing these corpora, scholars aim to understand how language is used in real contexts, including patterns of word usage, grammar, and discourse.
Contemporary researchers widely apply linguistic corpora to explore the language across all the linguistic levels (phonological, morphological, lexical, lexicographic, phraseological, syntactic, stylistic, pragmatic, etc.). Moreover, the application of linguistic corpora extends beyond linguistics, expanding to various interdisciplinary fields such as psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, and historical linguistics. These disciplines benefit from the wealth of data offered by corpora, enabling scholars to explore language in greater depth and precision [Лук’янець 2012, с. 130].
According to McEnery, corpora in ESL/EFL teaching can be applied in three key areas: the indirect use of corpora in teaching (such as for reference publishing, materials development, and language testing), the direct use of corpora in teaching (including teaching about corpora, teaching students to exploit them, and using corpora to support teaching), and the further development of teaching-oriented corpora (such as corpora for specific purposes, first language (L1) developmental corpora, and second language (L2) learner corpora) [McEnery, Xiao 2011, p. 365].
Corpus linguistics is essential for vocabulary enhancement as it sheds light on the most commonly used words in various contexts. A notable application includes frequency lists like the General Service List (GSL) and the Academic Word List (AWL), which highlight important words that learners are likely to encounter in both everyday and academic situations. These lists enable educators to concentrate on teaching vocabulary critical for effective communication and understanding. Moreover, corpus linguistics aids in teaching collocations and commonly used phrases, such as “make a decision” or “take a chance,” by identifying frequently occurring word pairs in natural language use. Instructing students on these collocations enhances their fluency and makes their language production sound more natural, reflecting typical usage in real-life conversations and writing.
In terms of grammar teaching, corpus linguistics offers key insights into how grammatical structures function in different contexts. For instance, an analysis of the continuous tense using corpus data can illustrate its varying frequency and application in formal written texts versus informal spoken language, helping learners grasp when to use it appropriately. Additionally, corpus data reveals patterns and exceptions in language, such as the use of modal verbs or conditional sentences. By examining these structures in genuine language contexts, educators can provide a more precise and context-aware approach to grammar instruction.
Corpus linguistics offers valuable tools for designing effective language exercises. One common application is the use of tests and gap-fill exercises, which are based on high-frequency vocabulary or common collocations. By analyzing corpus data, teachers can create exercises that emphasize word combinations learners are likely to encounter in real-world contexts, thus improving retention and fluency. Another useful exercise is grammar discovery tasks, where learners examine concordance lines—real examples of language use extracted from a corpus—to identify and understand grammatical patterns. This method encourages inductive learning, where learners deduce grammar rules from authentic language use, fostering deeper comprehension and more effective application in their own language production.
Finally, corpus linguistics plays a crucial role in the development of reading materials. By utilizing corpus data, teachers can select authentic texts that not only reflect natural language use but also align with learners’ vocabulary and grammar proficiency. For instance, corpus-based tools can help to identify texts that incorporate high-frequency words or specific grammatical structures, ensuring that reading materials are both relevant and appropriately challenging for learners.
In conclusion, corpus linguistics offers a wealth of insights and practical applications for ESL/EFL teaching, enhancing both the effectiveness and authenticity of language instruction. As corpus linguistics continues to evolve, its interdisciplinary nature and ability to provide data-driven insights will remain an invaluable resource for language teaching and learning.
