A Corpus-Based Investigation of Idioms in Applied Linguistics Research Articles

Farahani, Elham; Yazdani, Hooshang

doi:10.22049/jalda.2026.31176.1916

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Elham Farahani ¹
Hooshang Yazdani ²

¹ Assistant Professor of TEFL, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Letters and Languages, Arak University, Arak, Iran

² Associate Professor of TEFL, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Letters and Languages, Arak University, Arak, Iran

10.22049/jalda.2026.31176.1916

Abstract

Idioms are typically considered as elements of informal, vivid, and entertaining language, and are generally thought to be unsuitable for formal contexts. However, recent studies show that idioms are increasingly used in formal communication and academic writing. In this context, this corpus-based study aims to offer new insights into English idioms by examining them within a corpus consisting of 5,675,554 tokens from 640 randomly selected applied linguistics research articles (RAs). To achieve this, the researchers developed a working definition and framework for identifying academic idioms within written genres like RAs. Using this framework, they compiled a list of the most common academic idioms found in the genre. Additionally, the study explored whether the frequency of these idioms changed over the period from 1980 to 2020. The findings revealed that idioms are indeed present in applied linguistics RAs and merit appropriate attention. No significant correlation was found between time and idiom usage frequency, while the writing style of authors appeared to significantly influence how often idioms are used. By identifying and analyzing the most frequent academic idioms in applied linguistics RAs, this study’s results may be valuable for EFL writing instructors, graduate and postgraduate students in applied linguistics, and developers of teaching materials.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Article Title [Persian]

پژوهشی پیکره‌محور درمورد اصطلاحات در مقاله‌های پژوهشی رشته‌ زبان‌شناسی کاربردی

Authors [Persian]

دکتر الهام فراهانی ¹
دکتر هوشنگ یزدانی ²

¹ استادیار آموزش زبان انگلیسی، گروه زبان وادبیات انگلیسی، دانشکده ادبیات و زبان ها، دانشگاه اراک، اراک، ایران

² دانشیار آموزش زبان انگلیسی، گروه زبان وادبیات انگلیسی، دانشکده ادبیات و زبان ها، دانشگاه اراک، اراک، ایران

Abstract [Persian]

پژوهش های اخیر نشان می دهد اصطلاحات که اغلب، وجه غیررسمی، پررنگ و لعاب و سرگرم کننده زبان محسوب می شدند، به گفتمان رسمی هم راه یافته اند، اما تاکنون درباره ی ورود اصطلاحات به گونه های نوشتاری و رسمی، ازجمله مقاله های پژوهشی، تحقیقی صورت نگرفته است. با توجه به این خلا، پژوهش حاضر، پییکره ای زبانی متشکل از 640 مقاله ی پژوهشی (5675554 واژه) که به صورت تصادفی از معتبرترین نشریات پژوهشی در گستره ی زبانشناسی کاربردی انتخاب شده اند را مورد بررسی قرار داد. هدف اول این پژوهش ارائه ی چارچوبی مناسب برای تشخیص و تعریف عملیاتی اصطلاحات آکادمیک بود که تاکنون مورد غفلت قرارگرفته اند. هدف دوم، ایجاد فهرستی از رایج ترین اصطلاحات آکادمیک در مقاله های پژوهشی در گستره ی زبان شناسی کاربردی بود. این پژوهش همچنین به بررسی هرگونه تغییرات احتمالی در بسامد اصطلاحات در مقاله ها پژوهشی از سال 1980-2020 میلادی پرداخت. نتایج بررسی های پیکره محور نشان داد که اصطلاحات انگلیسی در مقاله ها ی پژوهشی مورد استفاده قرار می گیرند لذا باید بیشتر مورد بررسی و توجه قرار بگیرند. علاوه بر این، بررسی در زمانی اصطلاحات در این گونه ی رسمی و آکادمیک نشان داد که رابطه ای بین تغییر زمان و بسامد اصطلاحات وجود ندارد و استفاده از اصطلاحات بیشتز مربوط به سبک نوشتاری نویسندگان مقاله ها است. یافته های این پژوهش میتواند مورد استفاده ی استادان دانشگاهی درسهای نگارش انگلیسی، دانشجویان مقاطع تحصیلی کارشناسی ارشد و دکتری و تهیه کنندگان کتابهای آموزشی در حوزه ی آموزش اصطلاحات و نگارش انگلیسی قرار گیرد.

Keywords [Persian]

اصطلاحات
پیکره ی زبانی
مقاله های پژوهشی
زبانشناسی کاربردی

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A Corpus-Based Investigation of Idioms in Applied Linguistics Research Articles

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Volume 14, Issue 1April 2026Pages 77-98

Volume 14, Issue 1
April 2026
Pages 77-98