BUSINESS
a) Keyness
The
lemma ‘business’ was the most significant key word in the BEC corpus.
|
N |
Word |
bec freq. |
bec lst % |
bnc freq. |
bnc.lst % |
Keyness |
P |
|
1 |
BUSINESS |
2,837 |
0.28 |
542 |
0.03 |
3,557.8 |
0.000000 |
b) Semantic Prosody
Left:
A total of 7 groups were identified. However, the positive and negative groups
are small, and are shown here to contrast positive and negative usage of
‘business’.
|
semantic prosody |
frequency/ 2,551& % |
example |
|
where
business takes place (place) |
56 - 2.19% |
Indian business |
|
where
business takes place (macro-level
demarcation) |
123
- 4.82% |
international world-wide business overseas business |
|
line
of business |
222
- 9.86% |
telecoms business hairdressing business contract hire business |
|
nature
of business (characteristics) |
124
- 4.86% |
core business family business daily business |
|
money/size
of business |
67
- 2.62% |
a high-yield business big business small business £multimillion business |
|
positive
adjectives |
50-
1.96% |
successful business sound business strong business |
|
negative
adjectives |
7 -
0.27% |
unviable business cut-throat business boring business |
Right:
Four groups identified.
|
semantic prosody |
frequency/ 2,551& % |
example |
|
people
and groups of people |
145
- 5.68% |
business
agents business
analyst business
controller |
|
business
activities |
135
- 5.29 % |
business
administration business
analysis business
development |
|
institutions,
organisations and companies |
129
- 5.05% |
business
conglomerates business
school the
business press |
|
macro-level
demarcation |
89
- 3.48% |
business
area business
sector business
segment |
c) Three-word clusters
|
N |
cluster |
Freq. |
|
1 |
of
the business |
85 |
|
2 |
in
the business |
63 |
|
3 |
to
the business |
31 |
|
4 |
the
business and |
29 |
|
5 |
the
business is |
29 |
|
6 |
the
business English[1] |
24 |
|
7 |
for
the business |
20 |
|
8 |
business
and the |
19 |
|
9 |
in
international business |
18 |
|
10 |
the
institute for |
18 |
|
11 |
a
business plan |
17 |
|
12 |
for
global business |
17 |
|
13 |
institute
for global |
17 |
|
14 |
of
business administration |
17 |
|
15 |
the
business of |
16 |
|
16 |
the
business plan |
14 |
|
17 |
college
of business |
13 |
|
18 |
and
the business |
12 |
|
19 |
business
English list |
12 |
|
20 |
on
the business |
12 |
|
21 |
the
business community |
12 |
|
22 |
business
areas and |
11 |
|
23 |
the
business link |
11 |
|
24 |
as
a business |
10 |
|
25 |
credits
international business |
10 |
|
26 |
for
your business |
10 |
|
27 |
of
a business |
10 |
|
28 |
of
business and |
10 |
|
29 |
of
our business |
9 |
|
30 |
that
your business |
9 |
|
31 |
with
the business |
9 |
|
32 |
about
the business |
8 |
|
33 |
any
other business |
8 |
|
34 |
business
to business |
8 |
|
35 |
out
of business |
8 |
|
36 |
to
do business |
8 |
|
37 |
a
new business |
7 |
|
38 |
and
international business |
7 |
|
39 |
business
in the |
7 |
|
40 |
business
is not |
7 |
|
41 |
from
the business |
7 |
|
42 |
in
a business |
7 |
|
43 |
into
the business |
7 |
|
44 |
of
business English |
7 |
|
45 |
of
its business |
7 |
|
46 |
out
of the |
7 |
|
47 |
the
business to |
7 |
|
48 |
the
business unit |
7 |
|
49 |
the
business world |
7 |
|
50 |
the
local business |
7 |
|
51 |
your
business is |
7 |
|
52 |
a
business and |
6 |
|
53 |
business
and computing |
6 |
|
54 |
business
as a |
6 |
|
55 |
business
at the |
6 |
|
56 |
business
of the |
6 |
|
57 |
business
on the |
6 |
|
58 |
business
unit managers |
6 |
|
59 |
in
this business |
6 |
|
60 |
of
doing business |
6 |
|
61 |
of
your business |
6 |
|
62 |
ordinary
course of |
6 |
|
63 |
part
of the |
6 |
|
64 |
run
the business |
6 |
|
65 |
some
of the |
6 |
|
66 |
the
business at |
6 |
|
67 |
the
business will |
6 |
|
68 |
the
international business |
6 |
|
69 |
the
main business |
6 |
|
70 |
the
ordinary course |
6 |
|
71 |
when
the business |
6 |
|
72 |
within
the business |
6 |
|
73 |
your
business and |
6 |
|
74 |
a
business to |
5 |
|
75 |
a
lot of |
5 |
|
76 |
an
international business |
5 |
|
77 |
as
the business |
5 |
|
78 |
as
well as |
5 |
|
79 |
at
the business |
5 |
|
80 |
business
English and |
5 |
|
81 |
business
English customers |
5 |
|
82 |
business
English experts |
5 |
|
83 |
business
link and |
5 |
|
84 |
develop
the business |
5 |
|
85 |
do
business with |
5 |
|
86 |
English
list is |
5 |
|
87 |
for
new business |
5 |
|
88 |
Harvard
business review |
5 |
|
89 |
Harvard
business school |
5 |
|
90 |
have
a business |
5 |
|
91 |
if
the business |
5 |
|
92 |
in
any business |
5 |
|
93 |
in
order to |
5 |
|
94 |
intermediate
business English |
5 |
|
95 |
international
business concentration |
5 |
|
96 |
it
is a |
5 |
|
97 |
lot
of business |
5 |
|
98 |
nature
of the |
5 |
|
99 |
new
business opportunities |
5 |
|
100 |
start
a business |
5 |
|
101 |
that
the business |
5 |
|
102 |
the
business as |
5 |
|
103 |
the
business press |
5 |
|
104 |
the
business that |
5 |
|
105 |
the
business was |
5 |
|
106 |
the
college of |
5 |
|
107 |
the
company's business |
5 |
|
108 |
the
core business |
5 |
|
109 |
the
nature of |
5 |
|
110 |
the
world business |
5 |
|
111 |
to
start a |
5 |
|
112 |
today's
business express |
5 |
|
113 |
type
of business |
5 |
|
114 |
what
the business |
5 |
|
115 |
which
is the |
5 |
|
116 |
within business |
5 |
|
117 |
you
have a |
5 |
|
118 |
a
business case |
4 |
|
119 |
a
business link |
4 |
|
120 |
a
business that |
4 |
|
121 |
a
number of |
4 |
|
122 |
all
the business |
4 |
|
123 |
and
business areas |
4 |
|
124 |
as
a whole |
4 |
|
125 |
at
the close |
4 |
|
126 |
at
the moment |
4 |
|
127 |
been
in the |
4 |
|
128 |
business
as usual |
4 |
|
129 |
business
development manager |
4 |
|
130 |
business
from the |
4 |
|
131 |
business
is going |
4 |
|
132 |
business
is the |
4 |
|
133 |
business
law # |
4 |
|
134 |
business
link Cityname |
4 |
|
135 |
business
plan is |
4 |
|
136 |
by
roland gribben |
4 |
|
137 |
by
the business |
4 |
|
138 |
cent
of the |
4 |
|
139 |
close
of business |
4 |
|
140 |
core
property business |
4 |
|
141 |
course
of business |
4 |
|
142 |
development
of the |
4 |
|
143 |
globalisation
of business |
4 |
|
144 |
go
into business |
4 |
|
145 |
going
into business |
4 |
|
146 |
I’ve
been in |
4 |
|
147 |
if
you are |
4 |
|
148 |
if
you have |
4 |
|
149 |
in
terms of |
4 |
|
150 |
in
that business |
4 |
|
151 |
in
the ordinary |
4 |
|
152 |
in
the uk |
4 |
|
153 |
in
your business |
4 |
|
154 |
international
business # |
4 |
|
155 |
international
business and |
4 |
|
156 |
international
business finance |
4 |
|
157 |
international
business program |
4 |
|
158 |
international
business programs |
4 |
|
159 |
into
business with |
4 |
|
160 |
involved
in the |
4 |
|
161 |
it
is not |
4 |
|
162 |
just
the business |
4 |
|
163 |
knutsford
business centre |
4 |
|
164 |
law
# credits |
4 |
|
165 |
line
of business |
4 |
|
166 |
look
at the |
4 |
|
167 |
main
business customers |
4 |
|
168 |
minor
in international |
4 |
|
169 |
normal
business hours |
4 |
|
170 |
of
business life |
4 |
|
171 |
of
business on |
4 |
|
172 |
of
international business |
4 |
|
173 |
of
the institute |
4 |
|
174 |
one
of the |
4 |
|
175 |
our
core business |
4 |
|
176 |
over
the next |
4 |
|
177 |
parts
of the |
4 |
|
178 |
per
cent of |
4 |
|
179 |
place
of business |
4 |
|
180 |
price
for the |
4 |
|
181 |
record
in business |
4 |
|
182 |
side
of the |
4 |
|
183 |
small
business administration |
4 |
|
184 |
small
business owners |
4 |
|
185 |
sort
of business |
4 |
|
186 |
that's
today's business |
4 |
|
187 |
the
business areas |
4 |
|
188 |
the
business has |
4 |
|
189 |
the
business in |
4 |
|
190 |
the
business list |
4 |
|
191 |
the
business mix |
4 |
|
192 |
the
business team |
4 |
|
193 |
the
close of |
4 |
|
194 |
the
end of |
4 |
|
195 |
the
small business |
4 |
|
196 |
the
university of |
4 |
|
197 |
this
business is |
4 |
|
198 |
to
concentrate on |
4 |
|
199 |
to
develop the |
4 |
|
200 |
to
your business |
4 |
|
201 |
university
of akron |
4 |
|
202 |
volume
of business |
4 |
|
203 |
we
do business |
4 |
|
204 |
with
a business |
4 |
|
205 |
world
business review |
4 |
d) Macro-generic distribution
e) Colligation
COBUILD
Sense 1 (work relating to the buying and selling of goods)
1,351
instances - 52.95% of sample
Patterns:
Uncount noun
we put together a business plan
... greatly affected the way they did
business
carried out in cooperation with our business partners
COBUILD
Sense 2 (how many products/services a company is able to sell)
163
instances - 6.38% of sample
Patterns:
Uncount noun
business fell by a third
COBUILD
Sense 3 (a company/firm)
523
instances - 20.5% of sample
Patterns:
Count noun
We go into a business and try and rescue
it
You must think of the pros and cons of
starting a business from scratch
COBUILD
Sense 4 (what you do for your job and not for pleasure)
8
instances - 0.31% of sample
Patterns:
Uncount noun
Travel agencies have special departments
dealing with business travel
a business dinner to end all business
dinners
COBUILD
Sense 5 (line of business)
436
instances - 17.09% of sample
Patterns:
Singular noun
telecoms
business, hairdressing business, contract hire business, my line of business
COBUILD
Sense 7 (important matters you have to deal with)
3
instances - 0.11% of sample
Patterns:
Uncount noun
conduct the following business, any other
business?
COBUILD
Sense 8 (my own business - no-one else’s concern)
2
instances - 0.07% of sample
Patterns:
Uncount noun
It’s not my business to manage a business
COBUILD
Sense 9 (an event, situation or activity)
4
instances - 0.15% of sample
Patterns:
Singular noun
with the forty pound business
the business of lists
the business of making strategic choices
COBUILD
Sense 10 (an unpleasant or costly task)
3
instances - 0.11% of sample
Patterns:
Singular noun
Ill health - a costly business
it’s always been a dangerous business
COBUILD
Sense 11 (big business/show business)
big
business: 8 instances - 0.31% of sample
show
business: 1 instance - 0.03% of sample
COBUILD
Sense 12 (do business - companies/people that do business with each other)
13
instances - 0.5% of sample
Patterns:
phrase with noun
COBUILD
Sense 14 (in business: a company that is currently operating or trading)
9
instances - 0.35% of sample
Patterns:
Verb + link phrase
you’ve already been in business for a
period of time
you may find after a year in business
that you need bigger premises
COBUILD
Sense 16 (to mean business)
1
instance - 0.03% of sample
Patterns:
Verb (inflect)
gives further evidence that Daimler means
business
COBUILD
Sense 20 (out of + business)
8
instances - 0.31% of sample
Patterns:
Phrase after verb
COBUILD
Sense 22 (business as usual)
4
instances - 0.15% of sample
Patterns:
usually verb link phrase
Business as usual is a common refrain ...
ADDITIONAL
Senses:
Conversational
filler:
2
instances - 0.07% of sample
all this sort of business
that sort of business, you know. The
usual story
Other
COBUILD entries:
business
card: 2 instances - 0.07% of sample
business
class: 5 instances - 0.19% of sample
business
hours: 5 instances - 0.19% of sample
Other
patterns:
i) In
the BEC, ‘business’ occurs in an end of
sentence position 267 times, (10.46% of sample).
‘Business’
in the PMC occurs 157 times (15.49%) of sample.
... to show that we mean business.
... a climate for creativity in business.
ii)
possessive pronoun + business:
163
instances - 6.38% of sample
In
the PMC there were 68 instances - 6.81% of sample
my own business, your business
iii)
definite article the + business
485
instances - 19.01% of sample
There
are links between definite article usage and
COBUILD senses 3 & 5:
The minimum target for the business to
survive is £250 million
(sense 3)
How did you come into the business then
originally, the car business? (sense 5)
iv)
indefinite article a + business
127
instances - 4.97% of sample
There
are links between indefinite article usage and
COBUILD Sense 3:
The skills that are needed to start a
business
Points
iii) and iv) above are true except when ‘business’ is used as part of a noun
group:
the business community, the business mix
for 1993 was 65.5% personal ....
a business magazine
v)
noun/adjectival group + of + business
(these refer to process/activity/people/place/amount related to business)
150
instances - 5.88% of sample
principle place of business, major branch
of business, close of business
vi)
do + business
41
instances - 1.6% of sample
This
compares to 59 instances in the PMC -
5.81% of PMC sample.
f) Associates
|
N |
WORD |
NO. OF FILES |
AS % |
|
1 |
BUSINESS |
111 |
100.00 |
|
2 |
COMPANY |
27 |
24.32 |
|
3 |
WE |
20 |
18.02 |
|
4 |
CUSTOMER |
20 |
18.02 |
|
5 |
MANAGEMENT |
19 |
17.12 |
|
6 |
CUSTOMERS |
18 |
16.22 |
|
7 |
BUSINESSES |
18 |
16.22 |
|
8 |
MARKET |
18 |
16.22 |
|
9 |
COMPANIES |
17 |
15.32 |
|
10 |
SALES |
16 |
14.41 |
|
11 |
ITS |
15 |
13.51 |
|
12 |
GROUP |
13 |
11.71 |
|
13 |
FINANCIAL |
13 |
11.71 |
|
14 |
OR |
12 |
10.81 |
|
15 |
SERVICES |
12 |
10.81 |
|
16 |
SHARE |
11 |
9.91 |
|
17 |
COST |
11 |
9.91 |
|
18 |
PROFIT |
11 |
9.91 |
|
19 |
SYSTEMS |
11 |
9.91 |
|
20 |
PRODUCTS |
11 |
9.91 |
|
21 |
OUR |
10 |
9.01 |
|
22 |
WILL |
10 |
9.01 |
|
23 |
MILLION |
10 |
9.01 |
|
24 |
CASH |
10 |
9.01 |
|
25 |
PER |
10 |
9.01 |
|
26 |
GLOBAL |
9 |
8.11 |
|
27 |
REPORTING |
9 |
8.11 |
|
28 |
SO |
9 |
8.11 |
|
29 |
ARE |
9 |
8.11 |
|
30 |
CORE |
9 |
8.11 |
|
31 |
BILLION |
9 |
8.11 |
|
32 |
ASSETS |
8 |
7.21 |
|
33 |
GROWTH |
8 |
7.21 |
|
34 |
BANK |
8 |
7.21 |
|
35 |
NEW |
8 |
7.21 |
|
36 |
YEAR |
8 |
7.21 |
|
37 |
OK |
8 |
7.21 |
|
38 |
FIRMS |
8 |
7.21 |
|
39 |
DEVELOPMENT |
8 |
7.21 |
|
40 |
PRODUCT |
8 |
7.21 |
|
41 |
MANUFACTURING |
8 |
7.21 |
|
42 |
CORPORATE |
8 |
7.21 |
|
43 |
BE |
8 |
7.21 |
|
44 |
PEOPLE |
8 |
7.21 |
|
45 |
MARKETS |
8 |
7.21 |
|
46 |
IS |
7 |
6.31 |
|
47 |
INTERNET |
7 |
6.31 |
|
48 |
TAX |
7 |
6.31 |
|
49 |
SUPPLIERS |
7 |
6.31 |
|
50 |
TEAM |
7 |
6.31 |
|
51 |
YOU |
7 |
6.31 |
|
52 |
ORGANISATION |
7 |
6.31 |
|
53 |
MAY |
7 |
6.31 |
|
54 |
SOLUTIONS |
7 |
6.31 |
|
55 |
PRICE |
7 |
6.31 |
|
56 |
YOUR |
7 |
6.31 |
|
57 |
IN |
7 |
6.31 |
|
58 |
CEO |
7 |
6.31 |
|
59 |
INCREASE |
7 |
6.31 |
|
60 |
CAPITAL |
7 |
6.31 |
|
61 |
ERM |
7 |
6.31 |
|
62 |
COMPETITIVE |
7 |
6.31 |
|
63 |
EXECUTIVES |
7 |
6.31 |
|
64 |
EXECUTIVE |
7 |
6.31 |
|
65 |
EARNINGS |
7 |
6.31 |
|
66 |
INTERNATIONAL |
7 |
6.31 |
|
67 |
INDUSTRY |
7 |
6.31 |
|
68 |
BANKS |
7 |
6.31 |
|
69 |
SERVICE |
6 |
5.41 |
|
70 |
SHAREHOLDERS |
6 |
5.41 |
|
71 |
COSTS |
6 |
5.41 |
|
72 |
DIRECTORS |
6 |
5.41 |
|
73 |
SELL |
6 |
5.41 |
|
74 |
AVERAGE |
6 |
5.41 |
|
75 |
PERFORMANCE |
6 |
5.41 |
|
76 |
BUDGET |
6 |
5.41 |
|
77 |
THEY |
6 |
5.41 |
|
78 |
STRATEGIC |
6 |
5.41 |
|
79 |
STOCK |
6 |
5.41 |
|
80 |
TOTAL |
6 |
5.41 |
|
81 |
SHARES |
6 |
5.41 |
|
82 |
SOFTWARE |
6 |
5.41 |
|
83 |
SIGNIFICANT |
6 |
5.41 |
|
84 |
ACCOUNTING |
6 |
5.41 |
|
85 |
MANAGERS |
6 |
5.41 |
|
86 |
MARKETING |
6 |
5.41 |
|
87 |
EQUITY |
6 |
5.41 |
|
88 |
NET |
6 |
5.41 |
|
89 |
OPERATING |
6 |
5.41 |
|
90 |
MANAGER |
6 |
5.41 |
|
91 |
INVESTMENTS |
6 |
5.41 |
|
92 |
MR |
6 |
5.41 |
|
93 |
INVESTMENT |
6 |
5.41 |
|
94 |
INFORMATION |
6 |
5.41 |
|
95 |
EMPLOYEE |
6 |
5.41 |
|
96 |
STRATEGY |
5 |
4.50 |
|
97 |
INCREASED |
5 |
4.50 |
|
98 |
MANAGING |
5 |
4.50 |
|
99 |
HAS |
5 |
4.50 |
|
100 |
TERM |
5 |
4.50 |
|
101 |
TECHNOLOGY |
5 |
4.50 |
|
102 |
LEADERSHIP |
5 |
4.50 |
|
103 |
THAT |
5 |
4.50 |
|
104 |
WE'VE |
5 |
4.50 |
|
105 |
BOOK |
5 |
4.50 |
|
106 |
BOOKS |
5 |
4.50 |
|
107 |
TECHNOLOGIES |
5 |
4.50 |
|
108 |
BECAUSE |
5 |
4.50 |
|
109 |
ACTIVITIES |
5 |
4.50 |
|
110 |
OPPORTUNITIES |
5 |
4.50 |
|
111 |
DIRECTOR |
5 |
4.50 |
|
112 |
PURCHASE |
5 |
4.50 |
|
113 |
PROFITS |
5 |
4.50 |
|
114 |
COMPANY'S |
5 |
4.50 |
|
115 |
DIVISION |
5 |
4.50 |
|
116 |
DO |
5 |
4.50 |
|
117 |
PRICES |
5 |
4.50 |
|
118 |
PERCENT |
5 |
4.50 |
|
119 |
ORGANIZATIONAL |
5 |
4.50 |
|
120 |
CLIENTS |
5 |
4.50 |
|
121 |
CO |
5 |
4.50 |
|
122 |
SHOULD |
5 |
4.50 |
|
123 |
NEED |
5 |
4.50 |
|
124 |
FINANCE |
5 |
4.50 |
|
125 |
COMMERCIAL |
5 |
4.50 |
|
126 |
RESULTS |
5 |
4.50 |
|
127 |
RESEARCH |
5 |
4.50 |
|
128 |
SELLING |
5 |
4.50 |
|
129 |
OF |
5 |
4.50 |
Comments
1. Example phrases in the BEC not
included or under-represented in the PMC:
business as
usual, (PMC 0 - BEC 4 instances) and business hours (PMC 1 - BEC 5 instances).
2. Any
other business: This phrases is used more widely than in the PMC. In the
PMC it is used (11 instances) solely in terms of agendas/meetings, i.e. AOB. In
the BEC it is used in this manner and also to refer to other businesses, e.g. as a computer business or any other
business.
3. On
business: Again the prepositional phrase ‘on business’ has a much broader
usage than is represented in the PMC. There it is used almost solely for
COBUILD Sense 4, i.e. to be on business
rather than pleasure (21 out of 22 instances of on business in the PMC sample). In the BEC (15 instances - 0.58% of
sample) it is not used once in this sense but rather as connective preposition,
e.g. VAT on business expenses, advising
them on business plans.