Comparative Variation Analysis: Grammatical Alternations in World Englishes

Variation studies is a growing field in linguistics, but it risks fragmenting into different research communities with different foci. This book establishes a canon of quantitative methods to analyze grammatical variation from a comparative perspective and explores the scope and limits of syntactic variability in a global language such as English. It investigates three grammatical alternations in nine varieties of English and provides a blueprint for applying techniques from corpus linguistics, variationist, and dialectometric traditions in novel ways.

Format: Hardback
Length: 246 pages
Publication date: 07 September 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Variation studies, a burgeoning field within linguistics, has gained widespread recognition and integration into curriculum design, conferences, and research endeavors. Nonetheless, there is a risk of the field fragmenting into distinct research communities with divergent foci, which could hinder its progress. This groundbreaking book aims to address this concern by establishing a comprehensive canon of state-of-the-art quantitative methods for analyzing grammatical variation from a comparative perspective. It elucidates how to employ these methods to investigate extensive datasets responsibly, offering a blueprint for applying techniques from corpus linguistics, variationist, and dialectometric traditions in innovative ways. The book specifically delves into the scope and boundaries of syntactic variability in a global language like English, examining three grammatical alternations across nine English varieties. Through a combination of observational and experimental data, it seeks to unravel the grammatical choices made by individuals, shedding light on the intricate interplay between linguistic phenomena and human behavior. With its comprehensive yet accessible approach, this text will appeal to academic researchers and students specializing in sociolinguistics, corpus linguistics, and World Englishes, contributing to the ongoing exploration of linguistic diversity and its implications.

ISBN-13: 9781108491563