Research Question:
What factors influence the usage of “fewer” and “less” in countability, and how do English speakers perceive and interpret this distinction in different contexts?
Method:
To address the research question, a corpus-based analysis will be conducted. A corpus of written and spoken English texts will be compiled, representing a diverse range of genres, registers, and contexts. The corpus will include both native and non-native English texts to capture a comprehensive view of the usage patterns of “fewer” and “less” in countability.
Data Collection:
The data for the corpus will be collected from various sources, such as books, newspapers, online articles, and transcriptions of spoken language. The texts will be carefully selected to ensure a balanced representation of different genres and registers. Additionally, data from online forums and social media platforms will be included to capture informal language use and contemporary linguistic trends.
Data Analysis:
The corpus analysis will involve a systematic examination of the usage patterns of “fewer” and “less” in countability. The frequency of occurrence of each term with countable and uncountable nouns will be analyzed, along with the syntactic and semantic contexts in which they are used. Statistical measures, such as chi-square tests, will be employed to identify significant patterns and associations.
Furthermore, qualitative analysis will be conducted to explore the perceptions and interpretations of English speakers regarding the distinction between “fewer” and “less” in countability. This will involve analyzing language use in context, examining instances where the terms are used interchangeably, and identifying any underlying factors that influence the choice between them.
Ps. I would like the paper to include examples of my analysis such as bar charts, Pie charts etc.
basically evidence to to proof my corpus research!