Bermel, N. orcid.org/0000-0002-1663-9322, Knittl, L. and Russell, J. (2018) Frequency data from corpora partially explain native-speaker ratings and choices in overabundant paradigm cells. Corpus Linguistics and Linguistic Theory, 14 (2). pp. 197-231. ISSN 1613-7027
Abstract
If we can operationalize corpus frequency in multiple ways, using absolute values and proportional values, which of them is more closely connected with the behaviour of language users? In this contribution, we examine overabundant cells in morphological paradigms, and look at the contribution that frequency of occurrence can make to understanding the choices speakers make due to this richness. We look at ways of operationalizing the term frequency in data from corpora and native speakers: the proportional frequency of forms (i.e. percentage of time that a variant is found in corpus data considered as a proportion of all variants) and several interpretations of absolute frequency (i.e. the raw frequency of variants in data from the same corpus). Working with data from unmotivated morphological variation in Czech case forms, we show that different instantiations of frequency help interpret the way variation is perceived and maintained by native speakers. Proportional frequency seems most salient for speakers in forming their judgements, while certain types of absolute frequency seem to have a dominant role in production tasks.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2017 De Gruyter. This is an author produced version of a paper subsequently published in Corpus Linguistics and Linguistic Theory. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Corpus linguistics; frequency; morphology; empirical research; surveys; questionnaires; Czech; overabundance |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (Sheffield) > School of Languages and Cultures (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number LEVERHULME TRUST (THE) RPG-407 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 08 Dec 2016 13:10 |
Last Modified: | 25 Apr 2024 14:26 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | De Gruyter |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1515/cllt-2016-0032 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:109202 |