THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEORY AND METHOD IN CORPUS LINGUISTICS

Abstract

This article examines the theoretical and methodological foundations of corpus linguistics, with particular attention to the ongoing debate regarding its scientific status. The study explores the Neo-Firthian perspective, which views corpus linguistics as an independent theoretical paradigm, and contrasts it with approaches that regard corpora primarily as empirical tools for linguistic investigation. Furthermore, the paper analyzes the distinctive characteristics of corpus-based and corpus-driven research and discusses their contribution to discourse analysis and contemporary linguistic studies. The findings suggest that corpus linguistics occupies a unique position at the intersection of theory and methodology, serving both as a source of empirical evidence and as a framework for developing linguistic insights