Variation Across Speech and Writing

Variation Across Speech and Writing PDF

Author: Douglas Biber

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1991-12-19

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 9780521425568

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Similarities and differences between speech and writing have been the subject of innumerable studies, but until now there has been no attempt to provide a unified linguistic analysis of the whole range of spoken and written registers in English. In this widely acclaimed empirical study, Douglas Biber uses computational techniques to analyse the linguistic characteristics of twenty three spoken and written genres, enabling identification of the basic, underlying dimensions of variation in English. In Variation Across Speech and Writing, six dimensions of variation are identified through a factor analysis, on the basis of linguistic co-occurence patterns. The resulting model of variation provides for the description of the distinctive linguistic characteristics of any spoken or written text andd emonstrates the ways in which the polarization of speech and writing has been misleading, and thus enables reconciliation of the contradictory conclusions reached in previous research.

Dimensions of Register Variation

Dimensions of Register Variation PDF

Author: Douglas Biber

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1995-08-31

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13: 0521473314

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Douglas Biber's new book extends and refines the research and methodology reported in his ground breaking Variation Across Speech and Writing (CUP 1988). In Dimensions of Register Variation he gives a linguistic analysis of register in four widely differing languages: English, Nukulaelae Tuvaluan, Korean, and Somali. Using the multi-dimensional analytical framework employed in his earlier work, Biber carries out a principled comparison of both synchronic and diachronic patterns of variation across the four languages. Striking similarities as well as differences emerge, allowing Biber to predict for the first time cross-linguistic universals of register variation. This major new work will provide the foundation for the further investigation of cross-linguistic universals governing the pattern of discourse variation across registers, and will be of wide interest to any scholar interested in style, register and literacy.

Variation in English

Variation in English PDF

Author: Douglas Biber

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-06-11

Total Pages: 239

ISBN-13: 1317884205

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Studies in Language and Linguistics General Editors- Geoffrey Leech, Department of Modern English Language, Lancaster University and Jenny Thomas, School of English and Linguistics, University of Wales, Bangor Broad-ranging and authoritative, Studies in Language and Linguistics is an occasional series incorporating major new work in all areas of linguistics. Variation in English- Multi-Dimensional Studies provides both a comprehensive view into a relatively new technique for studying language, and a diverse, exciting collection of studies of variation in English. The first part of the book provides an explanation of multi-dimensional (MD) analysis, a research technique for studying language variation. MD is a corpus-based approach developed by Doug Biber that facilitates large-scale studies of language variation and the investigation of research questions that were previously intractable. The second part of the book contains studies that apply Biber's original MD analysis of English to new domains. These studies cover the historical evolution of English; specialized domains such as medical writing and oral proficiency testing; and dialect variation, including gender and British/American. The third part of the book contains studies that conduct new MD analyses, covering adult/child language differences, 18th century speech and writing, and discourse complexity. Readers of this book will become familiar with the analytical techniques of multi-dimensional analysis, with its applicability to a wide variety of language issues, and with the findings of important studies previously published in diverse journals as well as new studies appearing for the first time.

Variation and Change in Spoken and Written Discourse

Variation and Change in Spoken and Written Discourse PDF

Author: Julia Bamford

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2013-10-31

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13: 9027271216

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This book focuses on aspects of variation and change in language use in spoken and written discourse on the basis of corpus analyses, providing new descriptive insights, and new methods of utilising small specialized corpora for the description of language variation and change. The sixteen contributions included in this volume represent a variety of diverse views and approaches, but all share the common goal of throwing light on a crucial dimension of discourse: the dialogic interactivity between the spoken and written. Their foci range from papers addressing general issues related to corpus analysis of spoken dialogue to papers focusing on specific cases employing a variety of analytical tools, including qualitative and quantitative analysis of small and large corpora. The present volume constitutes a highly valuable tool for applied linguists and discourse analysts as well as for students, instructors and language teachers.

Linguistic Choice Across Genres

Linguistic Choice Across Genres PDF

Author: Antonia Sánchez Macarro

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 1998-01-01

Total Pages: 356

ISBN-13: 9027236631

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This book, based on revised papers originally delivered at the VII International Systemic Functional Workshop in Valencia in 1995, explores some of the choices open to speakers and writers for the expression of meaning in different socio-cultural contexts. Many of the papers draw their inspiration from models of language developed by Michael Halliday and in particular recent theories of variation in relation to texts and genres explored by Halliday and his followers. There is an emphasis on the interdependence and interaction of linguistic choices across sentence boundaries and speaking turns, and also a consistent focus across many papers on the importance of lexicogrammar in the construction of texts. Several papers examine the differences between native-speaker and non-native-speaker choices in speech and writing. The volume also contributes to our understanding of differences and similarities between spoken and written varieties of English and of the central significance of interpersonal functions in the communication of messages. By drawing on naturally-occurring data collected on a range of genres as diverse as philosophy articles, scientific research papers, emergency telephone calls, and casual conversation, contributors both refine descriptions of the relations between text and context and offer numerous new insights and analyses.

Academic Discourse Across Disciplines

Academic Discourse Across Disciplines PDF

Author: Ken Hyland

Publisher: Peter Lang

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 332

ISBN-13: 9783039111831

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This volume reflects the emerging interest in cross-disciplinary variation in both spoken and written academic English, exploring the conventions and modes of persuasion characteristic of different disciplines and which help define academic inquiry. This collection brings together chapters by applied linguists and EAP practitioners from seven different countries. The authors draw on various specialised spoken and written corpora to illustrate the notion of variation and to explore the concept of discipline and the different methodologies they use to investigate these corpora. The book also seeks to make explicit the valuable links that can be made between research into academic speech and writing as text, as process, and as social practice.

The Cambridge Handbook of English Corpus Linguistics

The Cambridge Handbook of English Corpus Linguistics PDF

Author: Douglas Biber

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2020-04-16

Total Pages: 641

ISBN-13: 9781108744355

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The Cambridge Handbook of English Corpus Linguistics (CHECL) surveys the breadth of corpus-based linguistic research on English, including chapters on collocations, phraseology, grammatical variation, historical change, and the description of registers and dialects. The most innovative aspects of the CHECL are its emphasis on critical discussion, its explicit evaluation of the state of the art in each sub-discipline, and the inclusion of empirical case studies. While each chapter includes a broad survey of previous research, the primary focus is on a detailed description of the most important corpus-based studies in this area, with discussion of what those studies found, and why they are important. Each chapter also includes a critical discussion of the corpus-based methods employed for research in this area, as well as an explicit summary of new findings and discoveries.

The Written Language Bias in Linguistics

The Written Language Bias in Linguistics PDF

Author: Per Linell

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2004-08-02

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 1134270526

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Linguists routinely emphasise the primacy of speech over writing. Yet, most linguists have analysed spoken language, as well as language in general, applying theories and methods that are best suited for written language. Accordingly, there is an extensive 'written language bias' in traditional and present day linguistics and other language sciences. In this book, this point is argued with rich and convincing evidence from virtually all fields of linguistics.

Corpus Linguistics

Corpus Linguistics PDF

Author: Douglas Biber

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1998-04-23

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 1316582566

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This book is about investigating the way people use language in speech and writing. It introduces the corpus-based approach to linguistics, based on analysis of large databases of real language examples stored on computer. Each chapter focuses on a different area of linguistics, including lexicography, grammar, discourse, register variation, language acquisition, and historical linguistics. Example analyses are presented in each chapter to provide concrete descriptions of the research methods and advantages of corpus-based techniques. Ten methodology boxes provide clear and concise explanations of the issues in doing corpus-based research and reading corpus-based studies and there is a useful appendix of resources for corpus-based investigation. This lucid and comprehensive introduction to the subject will be welcomed by a broad range of readers, from undergraduate students to professional researchers.

Register, Genre, and Style

Register, Genre, and Style PDF

Author: Douglas Biber

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2009-10-29

Total Pages: 355

ISBN-13: 0521860601

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This book describes the most important kinds of texts in English and introduces the methodological techniques used to analyse them. Three analytical approaches are introduced and compared, describing a wide range of texts from the perspectives of register, genre and style. The primary focus of the book is on the analysis of registers. Part 1 introduces an analytical framework for studying registers, genre conventions, and styles. Part 2 provides detailed descriptions of particular text varieties in English, including spoken interpersonal varieties (conversation, university office hours, service encounters), written varieties (newspapers, academic prose, fiction), and emerging electronic varieties (e-mail, internet forums, text messages). Finally, Part 3 introduces advanced analytical approaches using corpora, and discusses theoretical concerns, such as the place of register studies in linguistics, and practical applications of register analysis. Each chapter ends with three types of activities: reflection and review activities, analysis activities, and larger project ideas.