Papers 93 and papers Papers 93 and papers 20052005

conversationalisation and conversationalisation and trivialisation in the trivialisation in the

broadsheetsbroadsheets

- the SiBol corpus –- the SiBol corpus –

British broadsheetsBritish broadsheets

TimesTimes TelegraphTelegraph GuardianGuardian Sunday TimesSunday Times Sunday TelegraphSunday Telegraph ObserverObserver

The broadsheetsThe broadsheets

Defined in contrast with the tabloids Defined in contrast with the tabloids or redtopsor redtops

Used to be a description of size and Used to be a description of size and formatformat

Now many in Berliner or compact Now many in Berliner or compact format so technically no longer format so technically no longer broadsheetbroadsheet

The corpusThe corpus

Papers 93 (old SiBol) – 98,943,032 Papers 93 (old SiBol) – 98,943,032 tokenstokens

Papers 2005 (Young SiBol) –Papers 2005 (Young SiBol) –146,077,408 tokens146,077,408 tokens

Old SiBol has Sundays but no Old SiBol has Sundays but no ObserverObserver

softwaresoftware

We use WordSmith 5 and XairaWe use WordSmith 5 and Xaira For wordlistsFor wordlists Keyword listsKeyword lists Collocations Collocations ClustersClusters plotsplots And a lot of statistical dataAnd a lot of statistical data

worldlistsworldlists

““a word list at first sight is a confusing a word list at first sight is a confusing animal, with its high-frequency items rising animal, with its high-frequency items rising up like tusks and its hapax legomena lying up like tusks and its hapax legomena lying as flat as fur; its patterns are weird and as flat as fur; its patterns are weird and wonderful. Beneath the surface though its wonderful. Beneath the surface though its DNA reveals numerous regularities which DNA reveals numerous regularities which can be useful to language researchers can be useful to language researchers searching for patterns of importance in searching for patterns of importance in their own text corpora.”their own text corpora.”

(Scott and Tribble 2006: 31)(Scott and Tribble 2006: 31)

keywordskeywords

Two wordlists compared and the Two wordlists compared and the most salient items arranged in order most salient items arranged in order of ‘keyness’, a statistical measureof ‘keyness’, a statistical measure

So far…..So far…..

Keyword lists have revealed: in SiBol Keyword lists have revealed: in SiBol 20052005

More namesMore names

The first obvious pattern to be The first obvious pattern to be observed in the keywords list is that observed in the keywords list is that here are a large number of proper here are a large number of proper names, representing what has been names, representing what has been called seasonal content. called seasonal content.

1993 vs 20051993 vs 2005

MajorMajor BlairBlair MaastrichtMaastricht BrusselsBrussels ClintonClinton BushBush BosniaBosnia IraqIraq YeltsinYeltsin PutinPutin DelorsDelors

New thingsNew things

Among the top keywords:Among the top keywords: wwwwww ComCom OnlineOnline InternetInternet websitewebsite

More sportMore sport

In the first 100 itemsIn the first 100 items ChelseaChelsea FlintoffFlintoff PremiershipPremiership ErikssonEriksson MourinhoMourinho FootballFootball BeckhamBeckham CelticCeltic WengerWenger LiverpoolLiverpool RooneyRooney ChampionsChampions AshesAshes teamteam

The first lesson learnt from the The first lesson learnt from the tabloids is that sport sells tabloids is that sport sells newspapersnewspapers

More keywordsMore keywords

YouYou your your I I MyMy we we meme don’t that’s there’s he’s you’re I’ve don’t that’s there’s he’s you’re I’ve

I’m I’m

Informal registerInformal register

First and second person – imitation of First and second person – imitation of spoken languagespoken language

Use of contractionsUse of contractions

journalists also achieve impact and get on journalists also achieve impact and get on a ‘conversational’ wavelength with their a ‘conversational’ wavelength with their readers by using common spoken readers by using common spoken discourse markers and purposefully vague discourse markers and purposefully vague language in a projected conversational language in a projected conversational exchange exchange

(Carter and MCarthy 2006:238)(Carter and MCarthy 2006:238)

A lexical setA lexical set

Have a look at table 1 what do the Have a look at table 1 what do the words have in common?words have in common?

EvaluationEvaluation

They are all evaluativeThey are all evaluative Nearly all positive evaluationNearly all positive evaluation Rather hyperbolicRather hyperbolic

And some phraseologiesAnd some phraseologies

Biggest Biggest Most occurrences in The Times Most occurrences in The Times and the collocates appear to belong to and the collocates appear to belong to the financial domain (the financial domain (company, group, company, group, bank, operator, retailer, market, bank, operator, retailer, market, shareholdershareholder) and there are a couple of ) and there are a couple of problem-solution related items problem-solution related items (biggest (biggest challenge, biggest problem, biggest challenge, biggest problem, biggest mistakemistake). Most are defined ). Most are defined geographically (geographically (the world’s, UK’s, the world’s, UK’s, England’s, Europe’sEngland’s, Europe’s) )

HugeHuge (annotated with three stars by (annotated with three stars by MEDAL to signal one of the most basic words MEDAL to signal one of the most basic words of English) it means of English) it means extremelyextremely large in size. large in size. The collocates in R1 position suggest a The collocates in R1 position suggest a semantic preference for words dealing with semantic preference for words dealing with impact and effects, either emotional or in impact and effects, either emotional or in terms of fame or significance (terms of fame or significance (hugehuge significance, huge scope, huge row, huge significance, huge scope, huge row, huge surprise, huge shock, huge sense, huge surprise, huge shock, huge sense, huge relief, huge pressure, huge demand, huge relief, huge pressure, huge demand, huge success, huge star hit, huge hits, huge success, huge star hit, huge hits, huge setback, huge blow, huge loss, huge lossessetback, huge blow, huge loss, huge losses) )

GiantGiant –for MEDAL this is a two star word and a –for MEDAL this is a two star word and a noun classified as found mainly journalism noun classified as found mainly journalism meaning an meaning an extremely large and successfulextremely large and successful company (most frequent L1 collocates company (most frequent L1 collocates oil giant, oil giant, supermarket giant , media giant, energy giant, supermarket giant , media giant, energy giant, software giant, insurance giant, phone giant, software giant, insurance giant, phone giant, drinks giant, pharmaceutical giantdrinks giant, pharmaceutical giant)or as an )or as an adjective meaning extremely large (most frequent adjective meaning extremely large (most frequent R1 collocates:R1 collocates: giant giant leap, giant screens, giant leap, giant screens, giant screen, giant slalom, giant squid, giant waves, screen, giant slalom, giant squid, giant waves, giant waves, giant panda, giant pandas, giant giant waves, giant panda, giant pandas, giant turbines, giant ape, giant tortoises,turbines, giant ape, giant tortoises, but also but also company names such as company names such as oil giantoil giant Yukos, Yukos, supermarket giant Tescosupermarket giant Tesco))

Iconic Iconic a MEDAL one star word meaning a MEDAL one star word meaning very famous and well knownvery famous and well known, believed to , believed to represent a particular idea. Collocates are represent a particular idea. Collocates are nearly all linked with fame, fashion and nearly all linked with fame, fashion and visibility many contexts connected to the visibility many contexts connected to the arts (arts (iconic status,iconic status, iconic image(s), iconic iconic image(s), iconic figure , iconic brand, iconic design, iconic figure , iconic brand, iconic design, iconic fashion, iconic moment(s), iconic event, fashion, iconic moment(s), iconic event, iconic photograph(s), iconic film, iconic iconic photograph(s), iconic film, iconic movie, iconic performance, iconic piece, movie, iconic performance, iconic piece, iconic work(s))iconic work(s))

KeyKey as an adjective, a three star word as an adjective, a three star word meaning meaning very importantvery important It is It is

inherently comparative in meaning inherently comparative in meaning singling out a preference and singling out a preference and

judgement about importance. It judgement about importance. It clusters with many general nouns: clusters with many general nouns: keykey

thing, key man, key question, key thing, key man, key question, key point, key element, key moment, key point, key element, key moment, key

area, key witness, key worker, key area, key witness, key worker, key member, key ingredient, key member, key ingredient, key component, key differencecomponent, key difference

PivotalPivotal MEDAL meaningMEDAL meaning extremely extremely importantimportant and affecting how something and affecting how something develops. R1 collocates appear to be related develops. R1 collocates appear to be related to strategic issues, either people, place or to strategic issues, either people, place or time with some sports contexts (time with some sports contexts (pivotalpivotal role ,pivotal moment, pivotal figure, pivotal role ,pivotal moment, pivotal figure, pivotal point, pivotal part, pivotal position, pivotal point, pivotal part, pivotal position, pivotal player, pivotal year, pivotal figure, pivotal player, pivotal year, pivotal figure, pivotal character, pivotal factor, pivotal decision, character, pivotal factor, pivotal decision, pivotal scene, pivotal stage, pivotal event, pivotal scene, pivotal stage, pivotal event, pivotal game, pivotal day, pivotal matchpivotal game, pivotal day, pivotal match). Both ). Both pivotal and key seem to be serving the same pivotal and key seem to be serving the same function, that of claiming high ground and function, that of claiming high ground and visibility in some way by declaring importance.visibility in some way by declaring importance.

Results for hyperbolic and emphatic Results for hyperbolic and emphatic itemsitems

2005 (-Observer) 2005 (-Observer) 1,174,6431,174,643 = 0,804124%= 0,804124%

1993 (with Sundays) 637,4501993 (with Sundays) 637,450 = 0,64426%= 0,64426% Increase=Increase= + 0,159864% + 0,159864%

Hyperbolic papersHyperbolic papers

TimesTimes 0.617%0.617% GuardianGuardian 0.663%0.663% TelegraphTelegraph 0.673%0.673% Sunday TelegraphSunday Telegraph 0.709%0.709% Sunday TimesSunday Times 0.714%0.714% The ObserverThe Observer 0.753%0.753% Average : Average : 0.688%0.688%

A questionA question

Do the Times and Guardian delegate Do the Times and Guardian delegate their hyperboles to their Sunday their hyperboles to their Sunday sisters?sisters?

Next categoryNext category

Have a look at table 2Have a look at table 2

What do these items have in What do these items have in common?common?

Table 2Table 2

They are examples of language used They are examples of language used when you do not want to be precisewhen you do not want to be precise

As Carter and McCarthy remind us As Carter and McCarthy remind us ‘being vague is an important feature ‘being vague is an important feature of interpersonal meaning and is of interpersonal meaning and is especially common in everyday especially common in everyday conversation”conversation”

Table 3Table 3

A less easily defined setA less easily defined set

They are all informalThey are all informal They are all evaluativeThey are all evaluative They are a bit vague in meaning or They are a bit vague in meaning or

at least very subjectiveat least very subjective

So for the moment we might say that So for the moment we might say that Young Sibol is more informal, more Young Sibol is more informal, more evaluative and more inclined to be vague, evaluative and more inclined to be vague, more concerned with size, fame, more concerned with size, fame, importance and imageimportance and image

The keywords for Old SiBol give a very The keywords for Old SiBol give a very different impressiondifferent impression

More news (apparently about politics and More news (apparently about politics and the economy, more foreign news topics)the economy, more foreign news topics)

Less evaluationLess evaluation Less informalityLess informality

Work in progressWork in progress

There is still a lot to find out so this is There is still a lot to find out so this is very much preliminary and subject to very much preliminary and subject to further refinementfurther refinement