Using Corpora in Discourse Analysis

Reviews / Votes

Baker (Lancaster University, UK) looks at how corpora (computerized collections of naturally occurring language samples) can be used for discourse analysis. The book has four particular strengths. First, the author explains corpus methodologies thoroughly, including frequency and dispersion, concordances, collocates, and keyness. Second, the grounds his explanations in concrete analyses of discourse used in tourism brochures, fox-hunting debates, and news articles on refugees (among other texts), thereby offering exemplars of the methodology; included are several tabular examples of analysis. And fourth, he explores the strengths and limitations of corpus analysis, explaining the need for self-reflection with respect to methodological decision-making. An excellent guide to the scope and method of corpus linguistics as applied to discourse analysis, this book on research methods will be valuable to those in linguistics, rhetoric and communication, literary theory and other humanities fields. Is a necessity for any researcher, practitioner or student interested in the interplay of content, discourse and corpus linguistics. It is a practical, hands-on guide that articulately explores the complex workings of corpora building and analysis. It is a valuable contribution for both the novice exploring the field and the more experienced scholar aiming to refresh their understanding of this ever-growing, ever-evolving discipline. 'Corpus methodologies have a huge potential for use in discourse studies, and Paul Baker has written a superb introduction that combines common sense and academic expertise. As a practical 'how-to' advisor he provides an accessible explanation of the key technical and interpretative issues. As an advocate of innovation, he is sensitive to the priorities and the research paradigms of both the discourse analyst and the corpus linguist. This is a splendid book that will inspire a new generation of research.' Professor Susan Hunston, Department of English, University of Birmingham. * [ "Blurb from reviewer"] * 'We are given examples of research which demonstrate the various techniques and these can be intriguing...Using Corpora in Discourse Analysis should indeed build bridges, for those who are not already using them, but it will also be useful to anyone interested in language as it is used in texts...the generative nature of the techniques should be stimulating for all those who monitor language use...' * [ "Times Literary Supplement"] * If you want to know what corpus linguistics can offer to sociolinguists interested in the relationship between language and gender, this book is the answer. I found it hard to put down. Written in a wonderfully accessible style, it provides detailed examples of the challenging questions, messy data, and satisfying, though often approximate, answers that corpus linguistics can provide. It confronts researchers with the real nitty-gritty of the challenges and rewards of each step of a corpus linguistics project. Researchers and students will both find it invaluable.