Search

Corazón tan blanco (1992) is probably one of the best known and awarded novels written by Javier Marías. Many scholars have paid attention to this work within narratology and literary criticism approaches. One of the most notorious features of this thriller is its phraseological repetition. Although repetition has been treated by specialists in the work of Marías (Basso 2002, Grohmann 2002, Florenchie 2003, Steen 2011), to our knowledge, there are no studies to date which have quantified this feature systematically. This contribution is based on corpus stylistic approaches, which focuses on the linguistic features in literary works, using corpus methods. Such treatments can be found in the research of Stubbs (2005), Mahlberg & McIntyre (2011), Mahlberg (2013a). This study focuses on the complexity of phraseological repetition and, particularly, in quantifying sequences of five or more elements, but, at the same time, it analyzes how this it contributes to the creative purposes of Marias., Corazón tan blanco (1992) es una de las novelas más conocidas y laureadas del escritor español Javier Marías. Varios trabajos han prestado atención a esta obra tanto desde la narratología como desde la crítica literaria. Uno de los rasgos más notorios de esta novela de intriga es la repetición fraseológica. Aunque la misma ha sido tratada por especialistas en la obra de Marías (Basso 2002, Grohmann 2002, Florenchie 2003, Steen 2011), no existen, que conozcamos, estudios que lo cuantifiquen sistemáticamente. Esta contribución parte de la estilística de corpus, que prima el tratamiento lingüístico en las obras literarias, empleando métodos de la lingüística de corpus, tales como los hallados Stubbs (2005), Mahlberg & McIntyre (2011), Mahlberg (2013a). Este estudio analiza la complejidad de la repetición fraseológica y cuantifica secuencias de cinco o más elementos, y, a su vez, observa de qué modo dicha repetición contribuye creativamente en la obra de Marías.

The aim of this paper is to review and analyse relevant factors related to the implementation of corpus linguistics (CL) in higher education. First we set out to describe underlying principles of CL and its developments in relation to theoretical linguistics and its applications in modern teaching practices. Then we attempt to establish how different types of corpora have contributed to the development of direct and indirect approaches in language teaching. We single out Data Driven Learning (DDL) due to its relevance in applied linguistics literature, and examine in detail advantages and drawbacks. Finally, we outline problems concerning the implementation of CL in the classroom since awareness of the limitations of CL is vital for its future success.

The aim of this paper is to review and analyse relevant factors related to the implementation of corpus linguistics (CL) in higher education. First we set out to describe underlying principles of CL and its developments in relation to theoretical linguistics and its applications in modern teaching practices. Then we attempt to establish how different types of corpora have contributed to the development of direct and indirect approaches in language teaching. We single out Data Driven Learning (DDL) due to its relevance in applied linguistics literature, and examine in detail advantages and drawbacks. Finally, we outline problems concerning the implementation of CL in the classroom since awareness of the limitations of CL is vital for its future success.

Our research focuses on two aspects of the evolution of contemporary spoken core vocabulary in British English based on a frequency analysis carried out using the demographic-spoken section of the spoken subcorpus of the British National Corpus (BNC) which contains 4 million words (the whole BNC contains over 100 words). On the one hand, we examine the impact on the core of contact with other languages and, on the other, lexical innovation throughout the history of the English language. Ours is a quantitative study that uses as its starting point contemporary British core vocabulary. We define core as opposed to non-core by looking exclusively at the frequency of a word as several linguistic studies have proposed. Our analyis, which, to a certain extent, follows up on that carried out in Fuster (2007) questions the hypothesis, in several diachronic studies, that the spoken core is immune to linguistic contact, or that it is quite impermeable to innovation and resists change.

Our research focuses on two aspects of the evolution of contemporary spoken core vocabulary in British English based on a frequency analysis carried out using the demographic-spoken section of the spoken subcorpus of the British National Corpus (BNC) which contains 4 million words (the whole BNC contains over 100 words). On the one hand, we examine the impact on the core of contact with other languages and, on the other, lexical innovation throughout the history of the English language. Ours is a quantitative study that uses as its starting point contemporary British core vocabulary. We define core as opposed to non-core by looking exclusively at the frequency of a word as several linguistic studies have proposed. Our analyis, which, to a certain extent, follows up on that carried out in Fuster (2007) questions the hypothesis, in several diachronic studies, that the spoken core is immune to linguistic contact, or that it is quite impermeable to innovation and resists change.

Caxton's biographers have considered the prologue to The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye very valuable in interpreting various events of Caxton's life which would otherwise remain obscure due to the scarcity of documents. The author of this article proposes a more careful approach in reading the statements in The Recuyell, and caution in accepting at face value much of the information contained there. The interpretation given here of several events in the prologue and epilogues of the first English printer, as for instance his birthplace, the dialect of his writings, etc., reveals that Caxton is frequently presenting himself according to the medieval tradition of the humility formula. This formula requires that authors refer to themselves disparagingly. Both prologue and epilogues may contain some truth, but certainly they may not be regarded as examples of unambiguous historical evidence.

Caxton's biographers have considered the prologue to The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye very valuable in interpreting various events of Caxton's life which would otherwise remain obscure due to the scarcity of documents. The author of this article proposes a more careful approach in reading the statements in The Recuyell, and caution in accepting at face value much of the information contained there. The interpretation given here of several events in the prologue and epilogues of the first English printer, as for instance his birthplace, the dialect of his writings, etc., reveals that Caxton is frequently presenting himself according to the medieval tradition of the humility formula. This formula requires that authors refer to themselves disparagingly. Both prologue and epilogues may contain some truth, but certainly they may not be regarded as examples of unambiguous historical evidence.

Este trabajo deja patente la existencia de una parcelación léxica en las lenguas naturales. Si bien las lenguas exhiben una relativa mayor o menor riqueza en el vocabulario, cuyos límites son difíciles de precisar, parece evidente que existe un vocabulario central donde el factor determinante sería el uso. Este vocabulario básico puede medirse y se ha medido empíricamente mediante el criterio de la frecuencia en la lengua inglesa.