基于布朗家族语料库对“Increase”一词的历时研究

A Diachronic Study of “Increase” Based on the Brown Family Corpora

摘要: 本研究旨在探究“increase”一词在不同历史时期的语言使用特征及其与社会变迁的关联。研究以布朗家族语料库为数据基础，涵盖近70年的英式英语文本，采用定量与定性相结合的方法，分别从使用频率、分布情况、搭配关系及语义韵四个维度对“increase”展开历时分析。研究发现：1) “increase”一词的使用频率总体上呈波动上升趋势；2) 其在学术文本中的使用频率远高于小说文本；3) 搭配范围逐渐扩大，语义韵整体呈中性含义。研究结论不仅印证了语言的动态性特征，还揭示出词汇使用变化与社会发展之间的密切关联，同时进一步凸显了语料库语言学在历时研究中的实证价值。

Abstract: This study aims to explore the language usage characteristics of the word “increase” in different historical periods and its connection with social changes. The research is based on the Brown family corpora, covering British English texts over nearly 70 years. A diachronic analysis of “increase” was conducted from four dimensions: word frequency, distribution, collocation and semantic prosody by combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The study found that: 1) The word frequency of “increase” shows an overall fluctuating upward trend; 2) Its frequency in academic texts is much higher than that in fiction; 3) The range of collocation is gradually expanding, and the semantic prosody is generally neutral. The research conclusion not only confirms the dynamic characteristics of language, but also reveals the close connection between changes in vocabulary usage and social development. At the same time, it further highlights the empirical value of corpus linguistics in diachronic research.