Corpus Linguistics and LSP

Corpus linguistics plays a prominent role in studying and informing the teaching and learning of languages for specific purposes (LSP) for a number of key reasons. The guidance on using and developing multilingual, specialised corpora means that it is possible to conduct research in a range of specialised languages and domains to inform LSP. Moreover, the widespread accessibility of corpus construction and analysis software in a range of languages as well as methodological advances in the field have increased the affordances of corpus linguistics for LSP. In terms of pedagogy, as language teaching becomes increasingly specialised, there is an increased need to understand specialised discourses better, driving this field forward. Furthermore, within the wider discipline of applied linguistics, there is growing recognition of the importance of studying a variety of languages and not just English for specific purposes. Unpacking these views, this chapter discusses the role of corpus linguistics in LSP, contextualising it historically and theoretically. Among other areas, the chapter looks at applications of corpus linguistics in LSP pedagogy including word lists, register analysis, and direct and indirect applications to LSP teaching and learning. The chapter closes by reflecting on the current state of the art and future directions for researchers and practitioners in LSP who wish to inform their work more closely with corpus linguistics.