Corpus Linguistics and 17th-Century Prostitution: Computational Linguistics and History

This book explores the use of corpus linguistics as a method in historiography and the humanities and social sciences, focusing on the topic of prostitution in 17th-century England. It demonstrates how corpus methods can assist in social research and deepen our understanding of historical topics.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 28 June 2018
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This book, available on www.bloomsburycollections.com, is an open-access resource funded by Knowledge Unlatched. It explores the rich potential of corpus linguistics in the fields of history, humanities, and social sciences. By focusing on the topic of prostitution in 17th-century England, it showcases how corpus methods can be employed to enhance social research and deepen our understanding of historical phenomena. The authors, McEnery and Baker, draw upon two primary sources: the newsbook Mercurius Fumigosis and the Early English Books Online Corpus. This scholarship on prostitution and the sex trade provides valuable insights into the social position of women in history, shedding light on their experiences and challenges during that time.

Corpus linguistics, as a discipline, has a significant role to play in the analysis of large amounts of textual material, making it an invaluable tool for historical research. By leveraging corpus methods, historians can gain a deeper understanding of historical events, cultures, and societies. The study of prostitution in 17th-century England serves as a compelling example of how corpus linguistics can be applied to historical research.

The newsbook Mercurius Fumigosis, which contains accounts of prostitution and the sex trade, provides a wealth of information about the social and economic conditions of women in 17th-century England. By analyzing the language used in these texts, researchers can gain insights into the social hierarchies, gender roles, and power dynamics that existed at the time. The Early English Books Online Corpus, on the other hand, offers a digital collection of early English books, including legal documents, religious texts, and literary works. By analyzing the language and vocabulary used in these texts, researchers can gain a better understanding of the cultural and societal attitudes towards prostitution and the sex trade.

Corpus linguistics can be used in a variety of ways to enhance historical research. For example, it can be used to identify patterns and trends in language use over time, which can help historians to understand how social and cultural attitudes towards certain topics have changed. It can also be used to identify key individuals and groups who played significant roles in historical events, and to analyze the language and rhetoric used by these individuals and groups.

In conclusion, this book demonstrates the opportunities for exploring corpus linguistics as a method in historiography and the humanities and social sciences more generally. By focusing on the topic of prostitution in 17th-century England, it showcases how corpus methods can assist in social research, and can be used to deepen our understanding and comprehension of historical phenomena. The use of corpus linguistics in historical research offers a promising avenue for future research, and it has the potential to transform the way we approach the study of history.

Weight: 432g
Dimension: 157 x 233 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350075283