[Corpora-List] corpus linguistics

[Rob Freeman]

Like many, I've hesitated to join the (meta-)debate. But politics affects us
all.

I first subscribed to the Corpora list some 13 years ago. At that time it
was a nice small community of people with common interests, principally an
interest in an exciting new way of looking at language. Corpus linguistics
was exciting and new. The Internet was exciting and new. The Internet
community was smaller in general. There was a certain intimacy among users.
As Internet users, and corpus users, at the time Corpora subscribers were
above all almost by definition open to new ideas.

With the increasing popularity of the Internet a broader cross-section of
people have joined, both the Internet and the Corpora list. Perhaps for that
reason debate on Corpora has largely died out and the list has come to be
choked with conference announcements, calls for papers, new books, extended
deadlines, and the numberless, mindless, minutiae of administration in
academic linguistics.

The focus on corpora meant it was still a good list. But in practice I
personally ceased to do much more than quickly sift through the hundreds of
conference announcements, and re-announcements, extensions, 1st calls, 2nd
calls, new books... every month or so, if I remembered. Perhaps others of
the early users are the same.

With that in mind. Much as I hate to change a formula which has proven so
successful over the years. Since the community the list seeks to serve seems
to have changed. Perhaps there might indeed be grounds to consider the
establishment of a separate corpora-announce list which would contain only
things of interest to those who do not wish to debate or be confronted with
new ideas.

Depending on volume, extended deadlines and the like could be posted to one
or both lists. People could choose to post inquiries to one or both, at
their peril.

I honestly hesitate to support such an idea. The Corpora formula has worked
well, and continues to work well. While I find the volume of extended
deadlines and such tiresome at times, it is not great problem to ignore
them. Nobody wants to debate all the time, and the day-to-day announcements
keep things ticking over.

Were there no complaints I would vote enthusiastically to keep things as
they are. But if the volumes justify, perhaps such a split could be tried.
With luck that might return the list to some of its early vibrancy.

-Rob Freeman

On 9/16/07, Geoffrey Williams <geoffrey.williams at univ-ubs.fr> wrote:
>
> Dear list members and fellow corpus linguists,
> I had not intended to write to the list on this subject, but in view of
> the
> highly insulting behaviour to someone who has given a lot to this list,
> and the
> pioneering association that created it, I shall draw flak in support of
> Antoinette Renouf.
> I am not a newcomer to this list. I have been in corpus linguistics for
> many
> years and continue to answer both on the list and privately depending on
> the
> subject. Like many oldies of corpus linguistics, I am more than willing to
> give
> my time and expertise, for what it is worth, to newcomers. This is why,
> like
> many corpus linguists, I am increasingly bothered by what seems to be a
> takeover
> bid by a minority who seek to air their views on outworn subjects. I must
> say
> that some of the input on the C debate, notably by John Sowa has been
> reasoned
> and very interesting, but when it gets into an exchange between a couple
> of
> participants, then it is time they withdrew, went into the theme in-depth
> by
> some other means and then published a synthesis of their views. Carrying
> on
> regardless when a notable figure has expressed frustration on behalf of
> many is
> downright rude.
> As I quickly learned, in corpus linguistics humility is a key notion. As
> the
> late John Sinclair pointed out, we should "Trust the text", not our own
> opinions. This humility means standing back and putting forward an
> informed
> opinion in relevant places, notably a conference or published article,
> rather
> than filling up cyber space with pointless and endless discussion. New
> comers
> know they will get help, publicly and silently from list members, endless
> debate
> is only confusing the issue.
> I know I shall also draw flak, but so be it. It is time that the list
> dealt with
> corpus linguistics in a reasoned manner rather than getting into circular
> debate. If you wish to do so create a blog.
> Best regards
> Geoffrey Williams
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