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Lexis-Grammar Interface in Chinese English: A Corpus Study of the Prototypical Ditransitive Verb GIVE

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Researching Chinese English: the State of the Art

Part of the book series: Multilingual Education ((MULT,volume 22))

Abstract

This chapter investigates the lexis-grammar interface of Chinese English from a corpus linguistics perspective. Utilizing large-scale corpus data collected from an online discussion forum, we have focused on the prototypical ditransitive verb GIVE and examined its verb-complementation patterns, direct object slots collocates, the relationship between complementation patterns and collocates, and the relationship between collocates and verb tense. Using WordSmith Tools (Scott 2004, WordSmith tools (Version 4.0) [Computer software]. Oxford University Press, Oxford), we have randomly sampled and analyzed 500 uses of GIVE in the dataset. The results suggest that there exist certain associations between specific lexical items and grammatical constructions in Chinese English, an Expanding-Circle variety of English. The relationship between lexis and grammar, or lexicogrammar, as illustrated in the case study of GIVE, can be taken as a concrete instantiation of structural nativization in local varieties of English.

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Acknowledgement

Early versions of portions of the chapter were previously published in World Englishes (“The grammatical features of English in a Chinese Internet discussion forum.” World Englishes, 34(2), copyright © 2015 by Wiley, http://www.wiley.com , adapted with permission).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, University of Cincinnati, 2610 McMicken Circle, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA

    Haiyang Ai

  2. Department of English, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Xiaoye You

Authors
  1. Haiyang Ai
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  2. Xiaoye You
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Haiyang Ai .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

    Zhichang Xu

  2. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam

    Deyuan He

  3. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam

    David Deterding

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Ai, H., You, X. (2017). Lexis-Grammar Interface in Chinese English: A Corpus Study of the Prototypical Ditransitive Verb GIVE. In: Xu, Z., He, D., Deterding, D. (eds) Researching Chinese English: the State of the Art. Multilingual Education, vol 22. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53110-6_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53110-6_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-53108-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-53110-6

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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