Using recurrent word-combinations to explore cross-linguistic differences

Jarle Ebeling | University of Oslo

Signe Oksefjell Ebeling | University of Oslo

Hilde Hasselgård | University of Oslo

The present study explores phraseological differences between English and Norwegian on the basis of a bidirectional parallel corpus, viz. The English-Norwegian Parallel Corpus. The investigation starts from lists of recurrent three-word combinations in English and Norwegian original and translated fiction texts. The paper discusses methodological issues related to using recurrent word-combinations as a point of departure for contrastive studies. Three case studies arise from observed differences between original and translated texts, as they emerged from the lists. The results point to constructional, semantic and pragmatic differences between the languages. Moreover, the studies suggest that the bootstrapping method applied may point to cross-linguistic differences that might elude traditional contrastive corpus investigations.

Keywords: bootstrapping method, corpus study, English-Norwegian, phraseology, recurrent word-combinations

Published online: 13 March 2013
https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.54.11ebe

Cited by

Cited by 4 other publications

Chitez, Mădălina

2018. In University Writing in Central and Eastern Europe: Tradition, Transition, and Innovation [Multilingual Education, 29], ► pp. 133 ff.

Chlumská, Lucie

2018. In Taming the Corpus [Quantitative Methods in the Humanities and Social Sciences, ], ► pp. 99 ff.

Egan, Thomas & Hildegunn Dirdal

2017. In Cross-linguistic Correspondences [Studies in Language Companion Series, 191], ► pp. 1 ff.

Hasselgård, Hilde

2017. In Cross-linguistic Correspondences [Studies in Language Companion Series, 191], ► pp. 97 ff.

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