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Corpus
in order to ascertain which words are
used most frequently and to keep
abreast of language change.
We have been taking authentic
material into our classrooms for many
years, in the form of books, newspapers,
magazines, leaflets, etc. Today, many of
us use what is arguably the worlds
delicti 1
biggest corpus, the internet and its
search engines, to find topical or
engaging texts for our learners.
Frequency
Thanks to corpora, we now have more
information than ever before about the
differences between spoken and written
English. A corpus allows us to observe
important variations in the frequency of
Chris Payne confesses orpus delicti is defined by the
Context
As well as informing us about the
frequency with which grammar and
informed language into my classes.
lexis occur, corpora can give us an
insight into the preferred context in
What is a corpus? which words occur some words, such
A corpus is a carefully laid out collection as cause, might be used mainly in a
of real examples of spoken and written negative context. This is sometimes
language stored on a computer. Because referred to as semantic prosody.
the language found in a corpus has
actually been used, it consists of Collocation
descriptive rather than prescriptive Corpora also show us the most common
language. The information that corpora collocates and colligations of words.
contain is typically presented in the The box on page 17 shows the first few
form of word frequency lists and concordance lines for the word crime
concordances. Concordances display the from a spoken corpus of British
key word in context in example sentences. English. It is immediately clear that the
Corpora are used to create and collocation crime prevention is a
inform multifarious teaching resources. frequent one.
These include: dictionaries, reference
grammars, grammar practice activities, Prioritisation
exam practice tests and an array of Corpus evidence is extremely useful for
materials for teaching vocabulary and teaching vocabulary. Vocabulary
lexical sets, collocations, phrasal verbs learning creates an enormous memory
and idioms. Some coursebook writers load for our students, and it becomes an
also use corpora by consulting word Augean task unless we have a sound
frequency lists. organising principle. The Collins Cobuild
Corpus shows that a core vocabulary of
2,500 words accounts for about 80
Why should we use percent of the words in spoken and
corpora? written texts. With the help of a corpus,
Authenticity we can identify these words and teach
Corpora are a valuable resource of them as a priority to elementary levels.
authentic language for all teachers.
Although we tend to trust our intuitions Recycling
about grammar and vocabulary, corpus Words need to be revisited several times
evidence shows that these intuitions are and in different contexts to increase the
sometimes flawed, and that words we chance of them being truly acquired.
Stephen Krashen recommends extensive speaking to children and non-native to use some corpus-informed content,
reading as an aid to vocabulary speakers of English outside the this will ensure that what our students
acquisition and retention. This is classroom. It should be axiomatic that learn is truly representative of the target
undoubtedly good advice, but the use of some language needs to be adapted and language.
a concordance can be even more effective redesigned for the specific purpose of
because learners are presented with a learning English. Clearly, learners can What can we learn from
word in multiple contexts which can be benefit considerably from language
read in very little time. It would take content concocted specifically for
a corpus?
even the most omnivorous reader far teaching. Also, in the unpredictable Corpus evidence can further our own
longer to encounter as many examples environment of the classroom, we often and our students language awareness.
and contexts with extensive reading. have to think on our feet and use our Of course, some data will confirm what
own bespoke examples of language. we already know, such as the fact that
Communication question tags (isnt it? arent they? etc)
If we aim and claim to teach are almost exclusively found in spoken
communicatively, as most of us do these Our learners will be English. But most corpus findings will
days, then our learners ought to be enable us to make more informed
in a better position to choices about what grammar and lexis
exposed to language that is used in real
communication outside the classroom. cope outside the to prioritise and teach, and when to
We can liken learning a language to teach it.
learning to drive. Sooner or later, a
classroom, if we can Let us look at some examples of
learner driver will need to leave the offer them a diet of frequency and semantic information we
relative safety of the local industrial can obtain about a word. Space allows
estate and drive in real traffic. Likewise, actually-used language me to cite just a few examples, but some
our learners will be in a better position in our lessons of the following findings may be of
to cope, when the need for interest.
communication arises outside the
classroom, if we can offer them a diet of However, despite there being Frequency information
actually-used language in our lessons. justification for a certain amount of The future continuous is 300 times
We cannot always rely on a coursebook simplified content, we should reflect on more frequent than the future perfect.
to give them the natural-sounding how much of it we use. It is not The zero conditional is the most
English they need. When the onus is on desirable to expose learners to an excess frequently occurring pattern out of
the teacher to supply more authentic of contrived content. Students who the different types of conditionals.
language, a corpus can be a useful tool. encounter simplified language too often
could end up learning English that is Seven prepositions are in the top 20
Simplification not just simplified, but simply restricted most frequent words. Here they are in
It is natural to simplify language. After or, even worse, distorted. order of frequency: to, of, in, for, on,
all, we simplify our English when we are If our teaching situation permits us with and at.