Discourse topics are a frequently mentioned but rarely operationalised concept in linguistics. Taking a text linguistic approach and defining discourse topics as clusterings of concepts, this book examines and compares methods for investigating topic boundaries, topic identification and topic… read more
Language processing theory posits that a person chooses words based on how he/she conceptualizes the referent. Where there are two or more interlocutors, depending on the way they conceptualize the referent, their word choices may be the same or different. In an unpublished paper, Sinclair… read more
The growing popularity of keyword analysis as an applied linguistics methodology has not been matched by an increase in the rigour with which the method is applied. While several studies have investigated the impact of choices made at certain stages of the keyword analysis process, the impact of… read more
Many studies have investigated the correlations between linguistic features and human judgements of writing quality. These studies usually investigate either proficient student writing or exceptional literary writing. The current study attempts to bridge these two perspectives by comparing… read more
In spelling research, data is easily quantifiable and offers a possible glimpse into the mind’s cognitive mechanisms. Previous research has focused on two cognitive routes assumed to be used for spelling in differing situations: one route enabling spelling of words from our lexical memory, and… read more
In Thailand, education is the main area in which language policy is enacted, and this chapter investigates foreign language policy and practice, especially concerning English, in an attempt to shed light on language policy. We identify seven sources of English language education policy, namely, the… read more
