Lancashire dialect grammar : a corpus-based approach
This thesis investigates a number of key grammatical features found in the previously under-studied Lancashire dialect. While the primary aims of the study are without doubt descriptive. a strong theoretical and methodological component to the investigation is also present. Theoretically, this study is couched within the usage-based approach to language (see e.g. Croft and Cruse, 2004: 291 -327). It employs innovative uses of new methodologies relating not only to a substantial spoken corpus, but also to a newly collated corpus compiled from historical dialect literature texts. Corpus resources are also supported by acceptability judgements and tasks which are gathered from a large number of respondents using new techniques in order to maximise the extent and significance of the data presented here. This thesis details variation that is already well documented in other varieties of English (e.g. relativization, verbal agreement), but differentiates itself by highlighting nuances and complexities not previously considered before, such as semantic differences in the HAVEnât to construction; constructional competition in the Northern Subject Rule and approaches to using corpora in measuring sociolinguistic
Dembry, Claire
Lancashire dialect grammar : a corpus-based approach. This thesis investigates a number of key grammatical features found in the previously under-studied Lancashire dialect. While the primary aims of the study are without doubt descriptive. a strong theoretical and methodological component to the investigation is also present. Theoretically, this study is couched within the usage-based approach to language (see e.g. Croft and Cruse, 2004: 291 -327). It employs innovative uses of new methodologies relating not only to a substantial spoken corpus, but also to a newly collated corpus compiled from historical dialect literature texts. Corpus resources are also supported by acceptability judgements and tasks which are gathered from a large number of respondents using new techniques in order to maximise the extent and significance of the data presented here. This thesis details variation that is already well documented in other varieties of English (e.g. relativization, verbal agreement), but differentiates itself by highlighting nuances and complexities not previously considered before, such as semantic differences in the HAVEnât to construction; constructional competition in the Northern Subject Rule and approaches to using corpora in measuring sociolinguistic
lancashire dialect grammar corpus_based approach investigates number_key grammatical_feature find previously under studied lancashire dialect primary_aim study without doubt descriptive strong theoretical_methodological component investigation also_present theoretically study couch within usage_based language see employ innovative new_methodology relate substantial spoken corpus also newly collate corpus_compile historical dialect literature text corpus resource also support acceptability_judgement task gather large_number respondent use new_technique order maximise extent significance data_present here detail variation already well_documented variety_english relativization verbal_agreement differentiate highlight nuance complexity previously consider semantic difference construction constructional competition northern subject rule approach use corpus measure sociolinguistic