Corpus Linguistics to Tackle the Learning and Teaching of Multiword Units: Necessary but Not Sufficient

Abstract

Aims and Objectives:

The article aims to show that corpora have made it possible to expand the field of phraseology and gain a better understanding of multiword units, including in foreign or second language learning and teaching. At the same time, however, it argues that corpora cannot answer all questions related to multiword units in and for learners and it therefore pleads for the combination of corpora with other sources of information.

Approach:

The article first describes the contributions of corpora to phraseology, emphasizing that several essential aspects of multiword units are not accessible to intuition and require the use of corpora. It then highlights the limitations of corpus linguistics when it comes to the study of multiword units in and for learners and shows how these limitations can be overcome by combining corpora with other sources of information.

Findings:

Linguistic expertise, experimentation and pedagogical experience are presented as useful complements to the corpus study of multiword units in and for learners, allowing for the investigation of additional aspects such as the functional classification of multiword units, their mental representations or their teachability. The article mentions different ways of combining these sources of information and underlines some of the challenges involved in combining them.

Originality and Significance:

While multiword units have often been approached from a single perspective, using one source of information, this article argues for methodological pluralism and triangulation, claiming that multiword units in and for learners can be approached more comprehensively through the combination of several sources of information.