INTEGRATING CORPUS ANALYSIS TOOLS AND PRACTICES FOR TERMINOLOGY STUDIES IN ESP COURSES

Abstract

This practice illustration paper aims to present the rationale and methodology of using corpus analysis tools and other software to develop students’ terminology analysis skills and enhance terminology acquisition at university level. It focuses not only on students of philology, but also on non-linguists within ESP courses. The paper presents the types of assignments for terminological analysis based on corpus analysis methodology as well as skills and competences developed through such activities. Assignments on corpus analysis of terminology provide several important benefits. Besides developing language analysis skills and deepening the knowledge of the specific domain, students also develop their research skills through data collection and analysis. They become researchers who can explore the linguistic phenomena on their own and share their discoveries. They develop the skills of working with different data sources, selection of relevant materials for the research, extracting, interpreting, and managing terminological data. It is hoped that the activities and practices presented in the paper will inspire ESP and EFL teachers to integrate the use of digital language technologies into terminology teaching strategies.