Contrastive analysis of lexical collocations of type verb + noun

Kotnik, Kristina (author), Pihler Ciglič, Barbara (mentor), Stopar, Andrej (mentor)

The thesis explores lexical collocations in the context of contrastive linguistics. Their arbitrary nature often poses challenges in translation and second language learning. Since collocations lack specific formation rules, they must be learned as units. The research in this thesis deals with three key aspects of collocations in translation. Firstly, it examines structural changes. Secondly, it addresses meaning in terms of translational (un)predictability, and lastly, it analyses the strength of association between elements of a collocation. The online tool Sketch Engine and its feature logDice score were used to determine, based on frequency of cooccurrence which collocations are strong and which are weak. In general, stronger collocations were translated by stronger collocations and weaker collocations by weaker collocations. Discrepancies in scores between the original and the translation were often a result of an unpredictable element. There were thirty-four percent of all cases that were structurally different from the original and thirty-five point five percent that were unpredictable in meaning.

• Language: English
• Keywords: collocations, phraseology, Sketch Engine, logDice, contrastive analysis, Spanish, English
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Year: 2023
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-151398
• COBISS.SI-ID: 168236547
• Publication date in RUL: 05.10.2023

KOTNIK, Kristina, 2023, Contrastive analysis of lexical collocations of type verb + noun [online]. Master’s thesis. [Accessed 19 May 2025]. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=151398

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Kontrastivna analiza leksikalnih kolokacij tipa samostalnik + glagol

Abstract

Magistrsko delo raziskuje leksikalne kolokacije v kontekstu kontrastivnega jezikoslovja. Ker kolokacije ne upoštevajo posebnih pravil tvorjenja, se jih je treba učiti kot enote in posledično predstavljajo izziv v prevajalstvu in pri učenju tujih jezikov. Raziskava obravna tri ključne vidike prevajanja kolokacij. Prvi je moč kolokacij, ki se meri s funkcijo logDice na spletnen orodju Sktech Engine. Ta se izračuna glede na pogostost sopojavljanja besed, ki razločuje kolokacije med zanimive/močne in manj zanimive/šibke. Drugi vidik je formalni, ki vključuje zamenjavo bsesedne vrste, razširjanje in krčenje in ostale spremmebe, ki se zgodijo pri prevodu na strukturalni ravni. Tretji vidik je pomenski, ki iz vidika prevoda kolokacij, le-te lahko deli na predvidljive ali pa nepredvidljive. Neskladja v moči kolokacij med izvirnikom in prevodom so bila pogosto posledica nepredvidljivega elementa. Štiriintrideset odstotkov vseh primerov je bilo strukturno drugačnih od izvirnika, petintrideset odstotkov in pol pa nepredvidljivih po pomenu.

• Keywords: kolokacije, frazeologija, Sketch Engine, logDice, kontrastivna analiza, španščina, angleščina