Corpus

Corpus is the study of language, spoken and/or written thanks to a research of test, magazines, conversations of native speakers and so forth. This research is usually stored in a computer database and some of the purposes of the corpora can be the creation of a word frequency list or the creation of dictionaries.

English teachers have to be updated and for that reason they need corpus. Also corpus is a teaching resource for non- native speakers, so it is an important tool for teachers. Finally, corpus can facilitate professors to know more about language acquisition and to help them to improve their labor as educators.

I found a quote that helps me to understand why corpus is important and how can contribute to a professor in the english teaching process.

Language cannot be invented; it can only be captured.

(Sinclair, 1997: 31

1. Acutely: The second language teacher needs to be acutely aware of cultural thought patterns that…

Meaning: Completely and extremely.

Gr.Info: adverb.

Collocations: acutely aware/ anxious7embarrased/ concerned

Example: management is acutely aware of the resentment that their decision may cause.

My example: the government is acutely aware of the global financial crisis.

Other: synonyms: critically, sharply, rigorously.

2. Trigger: social interaction was claimed only to trigger development at the right moment in time.

Meaning: to cause something bad to start.

Gr.Info: Verb- transitive- improver- regular.

Collocations: trigger a reaction, to pull the trigger on,

Example: people find that certain foods trigger their headaches.

My example: at school I learnt that the attack on Pearl Harbor triggers the Second World War.

Other: idioms: quick on the trigger = quick to act, understand or retort

3. Remorse: mainly shock, fear, guilt, remorse, embarrassment….

Meaning: a strong feeling of guilt and regret about something you have done.

Gr.Info: noun

Collocations: fill with remorse, feel remorse for.

Example: after the argument, she was filled with remorse.

My example: I feel remorse for what I did yesterday.

Other: antonyms: good conscience, happiness, indifference, remorselessness, satisfaction.

4. Chiefly: but that children learn to function in a language chiefly through interaction and discourse.

Meaning: mainly, for the most part.

Gr.Info: adverb

Collocations:

Example: the island chiefly attracts upmarket tourist.

My example: I like to watch soup operas, but I am chiefly interested in movies.

Other: synonyms: above all, especially, in general, in the first place, principally.

5. Masquerade: in fact, in some ways mediation theory was really a rational/cognitive theory masquerading as behavioristic.

Meaning: to pretend or appear to be someone or something.

Gr.Info: verb – intransitive - regular

Collocations: masquerade as sb/sth, masquerade ball, masquerade party.

Example: hooligans masquerading as football fans have once again caused disturbances.

My example: sometimes immigrants masquerade as native speakers to avoid discrimination.

Other: quote: The closing years of life are like the end of a masquerade party, when the masks are dropped. — Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)