The use of experimental methodology in the field of linguistics has boomed in recent decades. However, implementation of such methods does require an understanding and mastery of specific theoretical and methodological principles. Introduction to Experimental Linguistics presents the key concepts of experimental linguistics in an accessible way, addressing, in turn: the application of experimentation in linguistics; the techniques most frequently used for the study of language; the methodological and practical aspects useful for the implementation of an experiment; and an introduction to the analysis of quantitative data derived from experiments. This didactic book combines the elements presented with examples drawn from the various fields of linguistics. It also includes a number of resources available for people who wish to implement an experimental study, more advanced reading suggestions, and revision questions along with their answer key.

Linguistics has suffered from the lack of interaction between theoretical and experimental activities. In order to carry out experimental studies in language it is, of course, necessary to have a descriptive system for the stimuli, and formal linguistics has provided a plethora of alternative possibilities. In addition, the theory can perhaps suggest some hints as to the direction experimental studies might take, at least to the extent that it suggest various kinds of relation among syntactic or phonological structures. But the theory alone cannot determine the nature of such relations in the cognitive or processing system of the language user. The first section of this volume addresses several of the key theoretical controversies in linguistics and attempts to specify the kinds of experimental evidence which might contribute to their ultimate resolution. The papers in the second section concern the collection of that evidence and its interpretation.

Over the past few years interest and research in experimental linguistics has shifted more toward centre stage, perhaps because of the growing recognition that purely theoretical formulations and speculations about language must necessarily be tested against the empirical facts of language knowledge, use, and acquisition. To highlight some aspects of empirical linguistics, a conference was organized in 1978 at University of Alberta, at which six prominent scholars were invited to present substantial contributions. These papers are included in this volume, together with an epilogue summing up and discussing the recurrent themes of the conference, and a general bibliography.

This volume is the first systematic attempt to survey current progress in the relatively new field of Experimental Arabic Linguistics. While experimental work on Arabic linguistics has appeared sporadically in several venues in the past, the chapters in this book provide a more coherent picture of the exciting directions which the field is pursuing. They provide insights into the complex nature of the Arabic language and how native speakers process it, using cutting-edge experimental methodologies in the fields of phonetics, psycholinguistics, and typical and atypical language development. This volume is of particular interest to scholars, researchers, and students at both the undergraduate and graduate level, in the fields of linguistics and language studies and can be a point of reference for scholars and researchers in the fields of theoretical and experimental Arabic linguistics.

The Routledge Handbook of Experimental Linguistics provides an up-to-date and accessible overview of various ways in which experiments are used across all domains of linguistics and surveys the range of state-of-the-art methods that can be applied to analyse the language of populations with a wide range of linguistic profiles. Each chapter provides a step-by-step introduction to theoretical and methodological challenges and critically presents a wide range of studies in various domains of experimental linguistics. This handbook: Provides a unified perspective on the data, methods and findings stemming from all experimental research in linguistics Covers many different subfields of linguistics, including argumentation theory, discourse studies and typology Provides an introduction to classical as well as new methods to conduct experiments such as eye tracking and brain imaging Features a range of internationally renowned academics Shows how experimental research can be used to study populations with various linguistic profiles, including young children, people with linguistic impairments, older adults, language learners and bilingual speakers Providing readers with a wealth of theoretical and practical information in order to guide them in designing methodologically sound linguistic experiments, this handbook is essential reading for scholars and students researching in all areas of linguistics.

Experimental Methods in Language Acquisition Research provides students and researchers interested in language acquisition with comprehensible and practical information on the most frequently used methods in language acquisition research. It includes contributions on first and child/adult second language learners, language-impaired children, and on the acquisition of both spoken and signed language. Part I discusses specific experimental methods, explaining the rationale behind each one, and providing an overview of potential participants, the procedure and data-analysis, as well as advantages and disadvantages and dos and don’ts. Part II focuses on comparisons across groups, addressing the theoretical, applied and methodological issues involved in such comparative work. This book will not only be of use to advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students, but also to any scholars wishing to learn more about a particular research method. It is suitable as a textbook in postgraduate programs in the fields of linguistics, education and psychology.

Experimental syntax is an area that is rapidly growing as linguistic research becomes increasingly focused on replicable language data, in both fieldwork and laboratory environments. The first of its kind, this handbook provides an in-depth overview of current issues and trends in this field, with contributions from leading international scholars. It pays special attention to sentence acceptability experiments, outlining current best practices in conducting tests, and pointing out promising new avenues for future research. Separate sections review research results from the past 20 years, covering specific syntactic phenomena and language types. The handbook also outlines other common psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic methods for studying syntax, comparing and contrasting them with acceptability experiments, and giving useful perspectives on the interplay between theoretical and experimental linguistics. Providing an up-to-date reference on this exciting field, it is essential reading for students and researchers in linguistics interested in using experimental methods to conduct syntactic research.