Combining Corpus and Experimental Data

In this article I argue that, from a methodological point of view, descriptive studies improve considerably if they use a multi-method approach to the data, more specifically, if they use a combination of corpus data and experimental data. In the modern conception of corpus linguistics, intuitive data play an important role. The linguist formulates research hypotheses based on his or her intuitive knowledge. These hypotheses are then tested on the corpus data. I argue that a sound descriptive study should not end with simply stating the results from the corpus study. Instead, the corpus data have to be supplemented. An appropriate way to supplement corpus data is through the use of elicitation techniques. I illustrate the multi-method approach on a case study of floating postmodification in the English noun phrase.