The KWIC-step: A Dance for 2 or More

Authorship
  1. 1. Susan L. Wiesner

    University of Surrey Roehampton

Work text
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This cross-discipline paper considers the use of corpus
linguistics as it applies to a study of dance writing.
Argument/Premise
Linguists and Computational Linguistic Engineers who
have studied language for special purposes (LSP)
generally agree that the lexicon used by those in a specialist
discipline offers insight into the concepts and ideologies of that
discipline. As Dance is a specialist discipline, it should then
follow that the lexicon of dance writing can demonstrate
aesthetic concepts and theoretical approaches and beliefs
through generalized language patterns detected using KWIC
methods. This research supports that contention in that the
empirical approach (specifically key words in context), when
used against a corpus of 1.4 million words from written dance
texts, does offer a means to develop an ontology of the
discipline of dance. One ontological example supported by the
empirical data is that of both hierarchical and rhizomatic
structures of relationships between participants in the dance
event. Through this example, this paper will demonstrate both
the process and analytical product of using corpus linguistics
methods and models to develop an ontology of Dance.
Analytical Method
Due to a dearth of research into dance writing, especially
in the area of corpus linguistics, there were no tested,
dance-specific models on which to base this study. Therefore,
this research contains a variety of methodologies and
approaches in the disciplines of corpus linguistics and dance
analysis. The corpus methodologies are based on the work of
Sinclair (2003), Ahmad (2002), and Biber (1998). Linguistic
analyses based on KWIC (key words in context) such as word
frequencies, collocations, concordances, and POS tagging were
performed on the data generated by computing tools (e.g.
System Quirk, Unitex, CLAWS). Additional methods proposed
by Traboulsi et al (2003) for identifying a local grammar were
used against samples of critical texts (i.e. dance performance
reviews). Finally, through a two-pronged approach, the data was analysed using the analytical modes of description,
interpretation, and evaluation proposed for dance by Adshead
et al (1988).
After establishing the written language of Dance as a specialist
language (or language for special purposes) through the
frequency of open class words in the top 100 most frequently
used words, weirdness factors, and Z-scores, the data was
analysed in a variety of ways. For example, for the purposes
of this particular study into ontological relationships between
participants, general concepts were identified by focusing on
those open class words (OCWs) within the top 100 most
frequently used words in a general dance corpus (the Surrey
Dance Corpus, or SDC). Finding that the OCWs included
several conceptual possibilities which appeared at times to cross
conceptual boundaries, it became apparent that a method for
categorisation was required to provide distinctions between the
concepts. Therefore, the analytical model introduced by
Adshead et al (1988) was used for the categorisation. This
model calls for a deconstruction of a dance work via description,
interpretation, and evaluation based upon identifiable
characteristics of the individual work. The identified distinctions
include not only the movement and production components,
but also concepts of form, concepts through which we view a
dance, and concepts particular to a dance. After determining
the conceptual categories, the analysis went beyond the top 100
most frequently used words, and considered the relative
frequencies of the concept words in the subsequent groups of
most frequently used words (top 200, 300, etc.). Word counts
also were performed on personal pronouns and conceptual
metaphor (using Charteris-Black’s method). Finally,
collocations and concordances using the concept words as target
words were generated and analysed.
Each step was repeated using additional corpora: a group of
sub-corpora defined by content of the texts and/or writers’
particular activity within the discipline (e.g. critic, scholar,
choreographer); and a corpus focused on one choreographer
(used as a case study throughout the research).
Conclusion
Through this research into dance writing, Dance can be
shown to be a LSP with a lexicon specific to the
discipline. So, too, have several unexpected patterns been
detected that reflect various concepts and ideologies, one of
which is that of the relationships between and among the
participants in the dance event (e.g. dancer, choreographer,
audience, critic, company). The relational connections are
further supported by a general belief in the collective, as shown
through word counts and concordances. Additional methods
used in dance analysis provide a structure for studying and
further clarifying the empirically generated patterns. The
choreographic and analytic concepts in Dance as they are
perceived and expressed through written dance texts
demonstrate not only the importance of these concepts to
specialists in the discipline of Dance, but also the benefit of
using the corpus linguistics approach to studying dance writing.
Bibliography
Adshead, J., V. A. Bringinshaw, P. Hodgens, and M. Huxley.
Ed. J. Adshead. Dance Analysis: Theory and Practice. London:
Dance Books, 1988.
Ahmad, K. "The Role of Specialist Terminology Management
in Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge Acquisition."
Applications Oriented Terminology Management. Ed. S. E.
Wright and G. Budin. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 2001.
809-844.
Biber, D, S. Contrad, and R. Reppen. Corpus Linguistics:
Investigating Language Structure and Use. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1998.
Charteris-Black, J. . Corpus Approaches to Critical Metaphor
Analysis. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2004.
Sinclair, J. Reading Concordances. London: Pearson Education
Limited, 2003.
Trabousli, H., D. Cheng., and K. Ahmad. 2003.

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Conference Info

Complete

ADHO - 2007

Hosted at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, United States

June 2, 2007 - June 8, 2007

106 works by 213 authors indexed

Series: ADHO (2)

Organizers: ADHO

Tags
  • Keywords: None
  • Language: English
  • Topics: None