Abstract: By using corpus-based approach, this paper aims to do quantitative analysis of word order in English Antonymy binomials. This paper is based on an analysis of 65 high-frequency English Antonymy binomial types. Each type occurs more than 50 times in online COCA. And this paper will reveal a number of language factors (syllable number, vowel length and initial consonant) and non-language factors (power, iconicity, perceptual markedness and word frequency) to ordering preferences. The purpose of this paper is for the better use of English Antonymy binomials of A or B construction.

Key words: antonymy binomials; ordering factors; corpus-based; A or B construction

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Literature Review of English Binomials-1

1.2 Antonymy Binomials and Word Order-3

1.3 Significance of the Study-4

2. Corpus Methodology-4

2.1 Corpus-based Approach-4

2.2 Data Collection-5

3. Factors Affecting Word Order in English Antonymy Binomials-7

3.1 Language Factors-7

3.1.1 Syllable Number-7

3.1.2 Vowel Length-9

3.1.3 Initial Consonant-12

3.2 Non-Language Factors-14

3.2.1 Power-14

3.2.2 Iconicity-16

3.2.3 Perceptual Markedness-17

3.2.4 Word Frequency-20

4. Findings-27

References-29