Exploring cross-linguistic universals of register variation through multi-dimensional analysis

Douglas Biber

Multi-Dimensional analyses have been conducted for many different discourse domains and many different languages. Using bottom-up statistical analyses, these studies have investigated the patterns of register variation in several specific discourse domains of English, as well as the more general patterns of register variation in many different languages. Each study identifies linguistic dimensions that are peculiar to that particular language/domain. However, the more theoretically interesting finding is that linguistically similar dimensions emerge in nearly all of these studies. Two of these dimensions are especially robust, making them strong candidates for universal dimensions of register variation: 1) a fundamental opposition between clausal/‘oral’ discourse versus phrasal/‘literate’ discourse, and 2) the opposition between narrative versus non-narrative discourse. Following a brief introduction to the methodology of Multi-Dimensional analysis, the present talk surveys the research studies carried out to date, with an emphasis on these potentially universal patterns of register variation.

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