Starting with a basic comparison of amplifiers as well as intensifiers in ICLE and LINDSEI, this paper attempts to depict differences of adjective intensification in a written and a spoken context in a more detailed way.
First, the term intensifier is defined and its functions are described. Secondly, the role of intensification in English foreign language teaching is explained, as well as the improvement of linguistic studies with the help of corpora. Following thereupon is the methodological part, which describes the concrete analysis of LINDSEI, with the help of the research toolAntConc. Then the types and tokens of amplifiers as well as intensifiers of ICLE and LINDSEI-GE are compared in order to depict general differences of a written and a spoken context. After that the modified adjectives are examined concerning their overall frequency.
Furthermore, the most frequent adjective-intensifier collocations are exposed. Charts are used to illustrate the results of the study to show mainly absolute numbers. Then the results are discussed and compared to Lorenz' findings with a reference to other studies of this field, such as Sylviane Grangers study of amplifier collocations. Also, problematic aspects erasing while conducting the study and the observation of intensifiers and adjectives are discussed as well.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Concepts
2.1. The Definition of Intensification
2.2. The Features of Intensification
2.3. The Significance of Intensification for Learners
2.4. Different Studies of Intensification
3. Methodology
3.1. Research Question: Distribution of Intensification
3.2. Sources Used for the Corpus-based Analysis
3.3. Lindsei Corpus as Analysable Set of Data
3.4. AntConc as Corpuslinguistic Research Tool
4. Results and Discussion
4.1. The General Approach of the Study
4.2. Adjectives in the Focus of Intensification
4.3. Observation of the Individual Learners
4.4. The Distribution of Very among the 50 Interviewees
5. Conclusion
Research Objective and Core Topics
This study investigates the use of adjective intensification in spoken English by German university students, aiming to identify patterns of intensifier usage and compare them with written learner corpora. The research focuses on the frequency, distribution, and collocational behavior of intensifiers to reveal communicative patterns and potential deficits in non-native language proficiency.
- Analysis of adjective intensification in a spoken learner corpus (LINDSEI-GE).
- Comparative examination of intensifier types and tokens between spoken and written learner data.
- Investigation of collocational preferences and the role of high-frequency intensifiers like "very".
- Evaluation of individual learner behavior regarding intensifier usage and range.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
There is a common notion concerning the general function of intensification, which is shared among researchers: Intensification is a direct indication of a speaker`s desire to use and exploit the expression of hyperbole. In other words, s/he tells the listener that what is being said is sincerely vouched for. The importance of intensification in the communicative process is that it is a vehicle for impressing, praising, persuading, insulting, and generally influencing the listener`s reception of the message. (Partington, Alan Statement, 1993, as cited by Gunter R. Lorenz 1999: 24)
This statement clearly supports the idea of intensification as an individual tool for the speaker to mark what is being said as important and relevant. It is used to influence the way a listener perceives what is being said, and in order to give the message more intensity. According to this remark by Alan Partington, the use of intensification differs from speaker to speaker, which makes it a very interesting topic to study.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the functions of intensification as a tool for speaker emphasis and outlines the research objective of comparing spoken and written learner data.
2. Theoretical Concepts: Defines intensification, distinguishes between amplifiers and downtoners, and discusses the importance of corpus linguistics in foreign language learning.
3. Methodology: Describes the research design, the selection of the LINDSEI-GE corpus, and the application of AntConc for the quantitative analysis of intensifier distribution.
4. Results and Discussion: Analyzes the gathered data, focusing on the frequency of intensifiers, preferred adjective collocations, and the distinct usage patterns of individual learners.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the study's findings, highlighting that while intensifier usage varies individually, learners tend to rely heavily on a small set of high-frequency items.
Keywords
Intensification, Amplifiers, Corpus Linguistics, Learner English, LINDSEI, ICLE, Collocations, Adjective Modification, Spoken Language, Communicative Competence, AntConc, Language Acquisition, Interlanguage, Frequency Analysis, Learner Deficits
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research examines how German university students use adjective intensifiers when speaking English, specifically identifying patterns of frequency and collocation in a spoken learner corpus.
Which linguistic fields are central to this study?
The central fields are corpus linguistics and foreign language pedagogy, specifically focusing on the acquisition of intensification strategies by advanced learners.
What is the primary research question?
The study asks whether the high-frequency intensifiers used by learners in written essays appear with similar frequency in spoken interactions, and how the range of intensifiers varies between individual learners.
Which methodology is applied in this paper?
A corpus-based, quantitative and qualitative approach is used, utilizing the LINDSEI-GE corpus and the software tool AntConc to analyze intensifier types and tokens.
What is addressed in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical definition of intensification, the methodology of corpus analysis, and a detailed discussion of the results, including comparisons with written corpora (ICLE) and individual speaker observations.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Intensification, Amplifiers, Corpus Linguistics, LINDSEI, Collocations, and Learner English.
Why is the amplifier "very" analyzed so extensively?
It is analyzed because it is the most frequently occurring intensifier in both spoken and written learner corpora, often used as a "safe bet" by learners.
Does the study conclude that there is a difference between spoken and written intensifier usage?
Yes, the study observes that there is an underuse of types and an overuse of tokens in spoken language, suggesting that learners rely on a smaller set of intensifiers in spoken interactions compared to written work.
- Citar trabajo
- Sophia Dees (Autor), 2016, Amplifiers in Advanced Learner English, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/538889
