Bei der vorliegenden Arbeit handelt es sich um einen linguistischen Report, den ich während meines Auslandsaufenthaltes an der Birmingham City University verfasst habe. Dabei wurden grundlegende linguistische Phänomene anhand eines Wortes ("sound") wie bspw. Morphologie oder Syntax untersucht. Der erste Teil der Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Wortherkunft (Etymologie) sowie den verschiedenen Bedeutungen und Flexiven. Aufbauend auf diese grundlegenden Informationen untersucht der zweite Teil die unterschiedliche Flexive im Bezug auf ihre benachbarten Wörter (Kollokationen). Mit Hilfe des British National Corpus werden sowohl mehrere Beispiele herausgestellt als auch Diagramme und Tabellen verwendet, um die Ergebnisse hervorzuheben. Das kurze Fazit stellt noch einmal die wichtigsten Punkte zusammen.
Nachfolgend die Einleitung aus der Arbeit:
The following report is dedicated to investigate the word “sound” (/saʊnd/) with regards to some of the main linguistic features: meaning, morphology, syntax, collocation. First of all, this brief introduction will look at the word in its common meaning as well as its etymology. If one hears the word sound, one will automatically associate it with noise. According to the Oxford Dictionary of English sound relating to noise has its origin in two other languages: Anglo-Norman French and Latin. The former includes the noun soun and the verb suner, the latter the noun sonus. The word entered the English language for the first time in the Middle English period. At that time it was written soun like the Anglo-Norman French version and the -d was added in the Early Modern English period (Oxforddictionaries.com, 2014).
The next section will present other main senses of the word as well as their etymology (meaning). Afterwards, the section on morphology will focus on the word classes and inflec- tions of the word “sound” (morphology). Based on these introductory sections, the analysis of this report will be examined with the help of the British National Corpus in the last two sec- tions. Therefore, it will be outlined how the word operates in English syntax as well as the regular lexical phrases it enters. Ultimately, the conclusion will discuss the results that have been discovered in the analysis.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Meaning
- 3. Morphology
- 4. Syntax
- 5. Collocation - Sound as a Noun
- 5.1 Collocation - Sound as a Verb
- 5.2 Collocation - Sound as an Adjective
- 6. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This report aims to investigate the word "sound" (/saʊnd/) in English, focusing on its meaning, morphology, syntax, and collocation. The analysis utilizes the British National Corpus (BNC) to examine the word's usage in context.
- The multiple meanings of "sound" and their etymological origins.
- The morphological features of "sound," including its inflections and word classes.
- The syntactic functions of "sound" in English sentences.
- The collocations of "sound" as a noun, verb, and adjective.
- An exploration of the word's usage within the framework of linguistic analysis.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the report's investigation into the word "sound." It briefly touches upon the word's common meaning, associating it with noise, and delves into its etymology, tracing its origins to Anglo-Norman French and Latin. The introduction also provides an overview of the report's structure, outlining the subsequent sections that will explore the word's meaning, morphology, syntax, and collocation using the British National Corpus as a primary source of data. It clearly states the methodology and the overall goal of analyzing the linguistic features of "sound."
2. Meaning: This section expands on the common meaning of "sound" as noise, exploring additional definitions provided by the Oxford Dictionary of English. It identifies three further meanings: "sound" as an adjective describing something in good condition, "sound" in the context of measuring water depth using echoes, and "sound" as a geological term referring to a waterway. This section systematically presents alternative semantic interpretations and adds a layer of depth to the understanding of the word's multifaceted nature beyond its most prevalent usage.
3. Morphology: This chapter focuses on the morphological aspects of "sound," distinguishing between inflection and derivation. It lists the eight inflectional morphemes associated with "sound" in English (plural, possessive, comparative, superlative, 3rd person singular, past tense, past participle, and present participle). It then identifies the eight word classes in English and specifies that "sound" functions as a noun, verb, adjective, and adverb according to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. This comprehensive list lays the groundwork for the syntactic analysis that follows.
4. Syntax: This section examines the syntactic functions of "sound" within English sentences. It introduces five basic syntactic functions: subject, verb, object, complement, and adverbial/adjunct, providing examples from the British National Corpus (BNC) to illustrate how "sound" operates in each role. The chapter specifically addresses the complexities of constructions involving "sound" and "of," highlighting potential sources of grammatical errors. The examples demonstrate the word's versatility in different grammatical positions and highlight potential grammatical challenges.
5. Collocation – Sound as a Noun: This section delves into the collocations of "sound," initially concentrating on its use as a noun. The analysis employs frequency data and mutual information (MI) scores to identify the words that most frequently and strongly collocate with "sound." By focusing on the three words preceding or following "sound," the chapter provides insights into typical word combinations and their statistical significance, shedding light on the contextual preferences and usage patterns of the word.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Sound, morphology, syntax, collocation, British National Corpus (BNC), meaning, etymology, inflection, word classes, grammar, lexicology.
FAQ: Comprehensive Language Preview of "Sound"
What is the purpose of this report?
This report aims to provide a comprehensive linguistic analysis of the English word "sound," examining its meaning, morphology, syntax, and collocation. The British National Corpus (BNC) is used as the primary data source for this analysis.
What topics are covered in the report?
The report covers the following key areas: the multiple meanings of "sound" and their etymological origins; the morphological features of "sound," including its inflections and word classes; the syntactic functions of "sound" in English sentences; the collocations of "sound" as a noun, verb, and adjective; and a general exploration of the word's usage within a linguistic framework.
What is the structure of the report?
The report is structured into six chapters: an introduction, a chapter on meaning, morphology, syntax, collocation (divided into subsections for sound as a noun, verb, and adjective), and a conclusion. Each chapter provides a detailed analysis of a specific aspect of the word "sound."
How are the meanings of "sound" explored?
The report explores the common meaning of "sound" as noise, but also delves into less common meanings. These include "sound" as an adjective (meaning in good condition), "sound" in the context of water depth measurement using echoes, and "sound" as a geological term referring to a waterway. The Oxford Dictionary of English is used as a reference.
How is the morphology of "sound" analyzed?
The morphological analysis differentiates between inflection and derivation. It lists the eight inflectional morphemes associated with "sound" (plural, possessive, comparative, superlative, 3rd person singular, past tense, past participle, and present participle). It also identifies the eight word classes in English and specifies that "sound" can function as a noun, verb, adjective, and adverb.
How does the report analyze the syntax of "sound"?
The syntactic analysis examines the functions of "sound" within English sentences (subject, verb, object, complement, and adverbial/adjunct), providing examples from the BNC. It particularly addresses the complexities of constructions involving "sound" and "of," and highlights potential grammatical issues.
How are collocations of "sound" investigated?
The collocation analysis focuses on the words that most frequently and strongly collocate with "sound," initially as a noun. Frequency data and mutual information (MI) scores are used. The analysis concentrates on the three words preceding and following "sound" to identify typical word combinations and their statistical significance.
What resources are used in this report?
The primary data source for this report is the British National Corpus (BNC). The Oxford Dictionary of English and the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English are also referenced.
What are the key words associated with this report?
Key words include: Sound, morphology, syntax, collocation, British National Corpus (BNC), meaning, etymology, inflection, word classes, grammar, lexicology.
What is the overall methodology of this report?
The report employs a corpus-based approach, utilizing the British National Corpus (BNC) to analyze the usage of "sound" in authentic English text. The methodology involves examining the word's meaning, morphology, syntax, and collocations using both qualitative and quantitative methods (such as frequency counts and MI scores).
- Quote paper
- Tim Ballschmiede (Author), 2015, Report on the Word "Sound", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/288976
