Variation and change in the lexicon : a corpus-based analysis of adjectives in English ending in -ic and -ical / Mark Kaunisto.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kaunisto, Mark.

Series:

Language and Computers 63.

Language and computers ; no 63

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

English language--Adjective.

English language.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (375 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam ; New York : Rodopi, 2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The present volume is a corpus-based study of the occurrence, variation, and change in the use of English adjective pairs in - ic and - ical over several centuries. The study involves the analysis of large, multi-million-word corpora representing the English language at various stages. It examines the nature of competition between the two affixes: what kind of rivalry existed, what kinds of words entered into competition, and in what ways the rivalry was resolved. The book presents close studies of six notably differentiated -ic/-ical adjective pairs, namely classic/classical, comic/comical, economic/economical, electric/electrical, historic/historical, and magic/magical , as well as commentaries on some 40 other -ic/-ical pairs, which manifest different types of shifts in use through history. It also includes critical discussion of general perceptions on and approaches to the practical use of corpora, stressing the importance of close and careful study of the materials under analysis. It further emphasises the value of consulting a variety of sources alongside corpora, including dictionaries and language usage manuals. This volume is of interest to language scholars in many fields, including corpus linguistics, diachronic linguistics, semantic change, lexicology, and word formation.

Contents:

Preliminary material / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

Introduction / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

Materials used in the study / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

Earlier observations and empirical studies / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

The history of new adjectives ending in -ic and -ical / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

Excellence, tradition, and ancient Greeks: classic/classical / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

Perspectives on amusement: the use of comic/comical / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

Arranging the motions of resources: economic/economical / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

Shocks, sparks and excitement vs. engineering: electric/electrical / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

The past and the important things in it: historic/historical / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

From supernatural powers to exciting football games: magic/magical / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

Obsolescence of one of the forms / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

Some special cases / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

Concluding remarks / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

References / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon

Appendices / Editors Variation and change in the lexicon.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 303-353).

ISBN:

9786612265792

9789401204644

9401204640

9781435612617

1435612612

OCLC:

182822827

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789401204644 DOI