This thesis examines the dialectics at the heart of Ted Hughes’s work. There is no single dialectic that forms a master-narrative, but they are all nonetheless structured around Hughes’s idea of man as divorced from his ‘true nature’. This divorce establishes oppositional ideas such as intellect against instinct, man against nature, man against woman and language against truth. I argue that Hughes critiques these oppositional tendencies throughout his career, either by taking sides or trying to find a synthesis between ostensibly oppositional stances. One of these dialectics, intellect against instinct, poses a direct challenge to the act of literary criticism in the form of the foundational myth of Hughes’s poetic career. This is his dream of the ‘burnt fox’, where the fox leaves a bloody paw print on his undergraduate essay as a warning to the damaging effect that such ‘rational’ thinking has on the creative spirit. Part of my purpose in this thesis is to show that, on the contrary, the mode of thinking that Hughes dismisses (including what he calls the ‘tyrant’s whisper’ – Continental Theory) is not only conducive to reading his work, but parallels the kind of thinking that takes place in his poems. As such, the work of Jacques Lacan plays an important role in this thesis in regards to the structuring Hughes’s delineation of the split subject in relation to language and the other. This thesis is not a Lacanian reading of Hughes per se, but finds congruities in their work as a means of addressing Hughes’s poems. Accordingly, Followers of Lacan such as Slavoj Žižek, Eric Santner and Teresa Brennan prove similarly useful in this regard, as each offers ways of thinking that are correlative to Hughes. The chapters of this thesis follow the progression of Hughes’s career. Chapter One investigates his early interest in how man’s relationship with nature can be represented in language through animal symbolism. Chapter Two examines Crow (1970/1) at length, arguing that the collection is the crux of Hughes’s work in that it contemplates almost all of the dialectics that emerge from his understanding of man as divorced from his ‘true nature’. The third chapter follows his poetry of mourning and melancholia during the early to mid 1970s, as Hughes goes from abandoning English altogether in his experiments with Orghast (1971) to creating a vision of the Goddess in the mystical sequences of Gaudete (1977) and Cave Birds (1978). This is followed in Chapter Four by a discussion of how Hughes resolves some of his dialectical thinking by returning to animal and landscape poetry in Remains of Elmet (1978), Moortown (1979) and River (1983). Chapter Five takes advantage of his appointment as Poet Laureate in 1984 and publication of his parable of Englishness, Shakespeare and the Goddess of Complete Being (1992), to take a slight diversion and address his dialectic of nationhood. Finally, Chapter Six examines how Hughes’s final collection, Birthday Letters, relates back to his poetry of mourning and melancholia (looking at Crow in particular) and ultimately to the central concern of this thesis: Hughes’s dialectical idea of the ‘true self’.

Die Harris-Galante-Pfanne Typ 1 zeigte bisher exzellente klinische Langzeitergebnisse. Die meisten der publizierten Studien den Abrieb und Osteolysen betreffend stammen aus den USA. Die Daten basierten hierbei hauptsächlich auf der Untersuchung von 28 mm Femurköpfen aus Metall. In Europa werden vorwiegend 32 mm große Femurköpfe aus Keramik genutzt. Die Langzeitauswirkung der 32 mm Keramikköpfe auf Abrieb, Osteolysen und damit auf die Überlebensrate der Pfanne ist unzureichend geklärt. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es zu untersuchen, in wie fern der Einsatz von 32 mm Keramikköpfen den Polyethylenabrieb und die Rate an azetabulären Osteolysen und damit die Lockerungsrate beeinflusst. Wir konnten 282 unselektierte Hüftendoprothesen nach 13 Jahren Primärimplantation der Harris-Galante-Pfanne Typ 1 mit überwiegend 32 mm Keramikhüftköpfen untersuchen. Die klinische Untersuchung erfolgte unter der Verwendung von validierten klinischen Fragebögen, des Harris-Hip-Score, des modifizierten Western Ontario and McMaster University Score (WOMAC) und des Medical outcomes study 36-item short form health survey score (SF-36). Unter Verwendung des Programms Hip Analysis Suite™ wurden die aktuellsten Röntgenbilder im Vergleich zum direkt postoperativem Bild hinsichtlich Abrieb und Osteolysen vermessen. Die Überlebenszeitanalyse wurde mit dem Programm SPSS 13.0.1™ nach Kaplan und Meier kalkuliert. Von insgesamt 38 erforderlichen Revisionen der 282 Hüften war in 14 Fällen (3,2%) die Hüftpfanne betroffen. Darunter fanden sich 2 aseptische und 5 septische Pfannenlockerungen. Es wurde 3mal ein Pfannenwechsel infolge eines Inlayausbruchs notwendig, wobei eine der Hüften intraoperativ einen deutlichen Metallabrieb zeigte. 2 der Polyethyleninlay zeigten einen so starken Abrieb, dass sie ausgetauscht werden mussten. Nach rezidivierenden Prothesenluxationen wurde 1mal die Umsetzung der Pfanne und in einem anderen Fall nur eine offene Reposition vorgenommen. Lysesäume waren bei 25,5% der Hüften zu sehen, es war jedoch kein kontinuierlicher Saum oder ein Saum von über 1 mm in mehr als 2/3 unter Einschluss der Zone 2 zu verzeichnen. Die Migrationsmessung der Pfanne nach Nunn et al. zeigte keine Wanderung über 4 mm. (26) Somit war keine der Pfannen radiologisch als gelockert einzustufen.(30) Der Mittelwert des linearen Abriebs betrug 0,08 mm pro Jahr, der volumetrische Abrieb betrug 54,55 mm³. Die Überlebensrate für die aseptische Pfannenlockerung als Endpunkt betrug 0.99 (CI 0.93-1.00) nach 14 Jahren. Der durchschnittliche Harris-Hip-Score war mit 83,4 Punkten gut. 54% der Patienten gaben an schmerzfrei zu sein und bei 21,2% traten nur gelegentlich Schmerzen ohne jeglichen Einfluss auf die Alltagsaktivitäten auf. Zufrieden mit der derzeitigen Situation waren 94,1% und 5,9% glaubten keine Verbesserung durch die Operation erfahren zu haben. Im Vergleich zu anderen zementierten und nicht zementierten Pfannen zeigte die HGP-1 gute bis exzellente klinische sowie radiologische Ergebnisse. Die Rate an Versagern des Verankerungsmechanismus deckte sich mit den Ergebnissen aus anderen Studien. Wir fanden keinen vermehrten Abrieb oder häufigeres Auftreten von azetabulären Osteolysen bei Verwendung von 32 mm-Keramikköpfen. / The Harris Galante–I cup with 28mm-femoral cobalt-chrome head as mainly used in the United States showed an excellent long-term outcome. However, concerns of the HGP-I cup are increased pelvic osteolysis and linear wear. In Europe mainly femoral alumina ceramic heads (BIOLOX) were used with the HGP-I cup but the long-term impact of this practice on linear wear and the development of osteolysis remains unclear.

Estudos geológicos e petrológicos na região de Fazenda Nova, estado de Pernambuco, Brasil, resultaram na identificação de três Complexos com características petro-estruturais bem definidas. O Complexo Eruptivo é formado de rochas granulares representadas principalmente pelas famílias dos dioritos, quartzodioritos, granodioritos, granitos e sienitos. Neste mesmo complexo verificou-se que os processos metassomáticos foram responsáveis pela formação da maior parte das rochas mencionadas, consideradas como pertencentes à Província Metassomática de Fazenda Nova" – denominação empregada para reunir as rochas granulares e maciças intimamente ligadas e geneticamente relacionadas a uma metassomatose regionas e generalizada. As rochas granulares da Província Metassomática mostram estreitas relações entre si, notando-se uma gradação entre os diversos tipos, quer na natureza mineralógica, quer na natureza da textura, visíveis desde a escala da lâmina delgada até a escala de afloramento. Essas flutuações mineralógico-estruturais são responsáveis pela abundância de fácies petrográficas encontradas. A variabilidade dessas fácies explica-se à luz de uma “Diferenciação Metassomática" - conjunto de modificações metassomáticas capaz de produzir rochas granulares, química e petrograficamente definidas. Pelas observações de campo verificou-se ainda que as rochas básicas foram seletivamente modificadas para os tipos ácidos (rochas graníticas) ou intermediários (rochas sieníticas) em função da natureza e intensidade do aporte (metassomatose diferencial e seletiva). A idéia geral defendida para a evolução petrológica das rochas desse complexo fundamenta-se na existência de um possível clino-piroxenito primário diferenciado seletivamente numa grande variedade de tipos petrográficos. O Complexo Meta-Sedimentar estudado neste trabalho é limitado a uma pequena mancha restrita aos arredores da Vila de Mandaçaia, formado principalmente de gnaisses, anfibolitos, escarnitos e calcários cristalinos. O Complexo Flaser é formado de rochas deformadas, predominantemente graníticas apresentando, localmente, estreitas faixas de intensa movimentação tectônica materializadas pela ocorrência de milonitos. A feição tectônica dominante é típica de zona de intensa compressão, evidenciada pelo aparecimento de fraturas de cisalhamento, falhas de empurrão e cavalgamento. Os Complexos Flaser e Meta-Sedimentar apresentam suas bases onduladas e laminadas indicando tratar-se de massas aloctonas cavalgadas sobre o “Complexo Eruptivo". As direções estruturais são aproximadamente Leste-Oeste com as faixas rochosas assim distribuídas sugerindo uma disposição zonar provavelmente original. As mudanças desta posição deve-se à movimentos horizontais NE de rejeito direcional e o arranjo estrutural assim permite considerar que as nossas alóctones referidas procedem da parte Norte da área mapeada. De outra parte verificou-se ainda que o complexo de rochas eruptivas considerado como o mais antigo representante da área, de idade pré-Cambriana, funciona como ante-país para as rochas dos dois outros complexos também de idade pré-Cambriana. / Geological and petrological studies in the Fazenda Nova region (Pernambuco State, Brazil) resulted in the identification of three so-called Complexes, with definite petro-structural characteristics. The Eruptive Complex is composed of granular rocks chiefly represented by the families of diorites, quartz-diorites, grano-diorites, granites and syenites. In the same complex it was found that metasomatic processes were responsables for the formation of the greater part of the mentioned rocks, considered to belong to the “Metasomatic Province of Fazenda Nova", a name employed to group together the granular and massif rocks, intimately tied and genetically related to a regional and generalized metasomatism. The granular rocks of the Metasomatic Province possess narrow relations among themselves, observing a gradation of the various types, in mineralogical nature as well as in textural outcrop. These mineralogical-textural gradations are responsible for the abundance of the encountered petrographic facies. The variability of these facies has been explained by a “Metasomatic Differentiation" – a sequence of metasomatic modifications able to produce chemically and petrographically defined granular rocks. Field observations showed also that the basic rocks were selectively modified into acid types (granitic rocks) or intermediate types (syenitic rocks) in function of the nature and intensity of the supply (differential and selective metasomatism). The general idea, defended for the petrological evolution of the rocks of this complex has its base in the existence of a possible primary clino-pyroxenite selectively differentiated in a great variety of petrographic types. The Meta-sedimentary Complex studied in this investigation is limited to a small restricted to the neighbourhood of Vila de Mandaçaia, formed chiefly of gneisses, amphibolites, skarns and crystalline limestones. The Flaser Complex is constituted of deformed rocks, chiefly granitic which present locally narrow zones of intense tectonic movements as shown by the occurrences of mylonites. The dominant tectonic feature is characteristic for a zone of intense compression, proved by the appearance of shear joints, reverse faults, and overthrusts. The Flaser and Meta-Sedimentary Complexex possess their bases ondulated and laminated, indicating allochtonous masses overthrusted over the Eruptive Complex. The structure direction are about E-W with the rock zones distributed in such a way that they suggest a possibly original, zonal disposition. The changes of this position are due to horizontal NE movements with directional dislocation related to stike-slip faults, so that the structural pattern thus, discovered permits the consideration of the referred allochtonous masses proceeding from the North part of the mapped area. On the other hand, it was verified the the Complex of granular eruptive rocks, considered to be the most ancient represented in the area, of Pre-cambrian age, serves as the foreland for the rocks of the two other complexes, also of Pre-cambrian age.

O magmatismo alcalino do Arquipélago de Fernando de Noronha compreende dois episódios de idades distintas. O mais antigo, Remédios, está representado por um evento piroclástico inicial e uma sucessão de intrusões (diques, domos e plugs) de variada litologia: basanitos, tefritos, lamprófiros alcalinos, álcali-basalto, traquiandesitos, traquitos e fonólitos. O episódio mais novo, Quixaba, é de natureza predominantemente vulcânica e inclui extensos derrames de melanefelinitos, raros diques da mesma composição e alguns corpos, possivelmente chaminés, de basanitos. Duas séries petrográficas são reconhecidas no episódio Remédios. Uma é de tendência sódica (basanito - tefrito - essexito - tefrifonólito - fonólito porfirítico - fonólito afírico peralcalino) e a outra é moderadamente potássica (álcali-basalto - traquiandesito basáltico - traquiandesito - traquito). Os basanitos e tefritos, além dos termos intermediários destas duas séries (tefrifonólitos, traquiandesitos basálticos e traquiandesitos), bem como o conjunto de lamprófiros, ocorrem como diques. Diques máficos e félsicos aparecem paralelos ou cortando uns aos outros, sendo também comuns os diques compostos. Nas rochas dos diques são encontrados xenólitos de rochas alcalinas máficas e félsicas e xenocristais, principalmente de clinopiroxênio. Estudos petrográficos e químicos (de minerais e de rochas) indicaram que em ambas as séries a evolução das rochas se realizou principalmente por processos de cristalização fracionada, a partir de basanito na série sódica e de álcali- basalto na potássica. Na série sódica houve remoção de olivina, clinopiroxênio rico em Ca (salita), apatita, magnetita titanífera, feldspato alcalino, nefelina, kaersutita e titanita. Na série potássica a extração de olivina, clinopiroxênio rico em Ca (salita), magnetita titanífera e, em menor proporção, feldspato alcalino conduzem a formação de traquiandesitos e traquitos. Os traquiandesitos basálticos resultaram da mistura de magmas basáltico e traquítico. Os lamprófiros alcalinos, formados a partir de líquidos basaníticos e, em alguns casos, álcali-basálticos, com forte enriquecimento em voláteis, mostram extensa variedade composicional e textural. Os derrames de melanefelinitos do episódio Quixaba incluem abundantes olivina melanefelinitos (com fenocristais de olivina), com intercalações de níveis de melilita melanefelinitos (com fenocristais de olivina e melilita) e piroxênio melanefelinitos (com fenocristais de olivina e clinopiroxênio). A composição química dos minerais essenciais dessas rochas mostram algumas variações de um melanefelinito para o outro, como nefelinas mais ricas em \'K IND. 2\'O (com até 10%) nos melilita melanefelinitos e alguns olivina melanefelinitos. Estudos detalhados em flogopita e biotita mostraram que estes minerais, tardios e acessórios nessas rochas, são ricos em Ti\'O IND. 2\' (3 a 14% em peso) e BaO (2 a 18% em peso), sendo que a composição delas está relacionada com o tipo de melanefelinito. Os valores mais elevados foram encontrados em um olivina melanefelinito. Uma diferença notável entre os basanitos intercalados no pacote dos derrames e os das ilhas São José e Cuscuz, está na composição das olivinas, \'Fo IND. 87-82\' no primeiro caso e \'Fo IND. \'+ OU -\' 70\' no segundo, indicando que a cristalização das rochas se processou a partir de líquidos distintos, ora enriquecidos na razão Mg/\'Fe POT. 2+\', ora empobrecidos nesta razão. Os resultados dos trabalhos realizados sugerem que os diversos litotipos do episódio Quixaba se formaram por cristalização de magmas gerados por fusão parcial da fonte mantélica. O forte fracionamento das terras raras sugere a presença de granada residual no manto e as anomalias negativas de Rb e K, observadas em padrões de elementos traços normalizados pelo manto primitivo, apontam para a retenção de uma fase portadora desses elementos na fonte (possivelmente flogopita), durante a fusão parcial. Estudos isotópicos de Sr, Nd e Pb realizados em amostras dos dois episódios vulcânicos indicaram que as rochas do episódio Remédios foram geradas a partir de duas fontes mantélicas. As rochas do episódio Quixaba parecem ter se originado de uma mesma fonte. Em todos os casos, as variações das razões isotópicas podem ser explicadas pela mistura de um manto empobrecido, DMM, com componentes dos tipos EM I e HIMU. / The alkaline magmatism of the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago comprises two episodes of different ages. The older one, Remédios, consists of an initial pyroclastic event and a succesion of intrusions (domes, dikes and plugs) of varied composition: basanites, tephrites, alkaline lamprophyres, alkali basalts, trachyandesites, trachytes and phonolites. The younger episode, Quixaba, is predominantly volcanic and includes extensive flows of melanephelinites, rare dikes of similar composition and some bodies of basanites, possibly volcanic vents. Two petrographic series are recognized in the Remédios episode. One is a sodic series (basanite - tephrite - essexite - tephriphonolite - porphyritic phonolite - peralkaline aphyric phonolite) while the other one is moderately potassic (alkali basalt - basaltic trachyandesite - trachyandesite - trachyte). Basanites and tephrites and all the intermediate members of these series (tephriphonolites, basaltic trachyandesites and trachyandesites) together with the alkaline lamprophyres occur as dikes. Mafic and felsic dikes are parallel or cut one another; composite dikes are also common. Xenoliths of mafic or felsic alkaline rocks and clinopyroxene xenocrysts are commonly found in the various dike rocks. Petrography and rock and mineral chemistry indicate that most rock-types of both series evolved by fractional crystallization processes. The starting materials were basanite in the sodic series and alkali basalt in the potassic one. Removal of olivine, Ca-rich clinopyroxene (salite), apatite, titaniferous magnetite, alkali feldspar, nepheline, kaersutite and titanite account for the variations in the sodic series. In the potassic series, the fractionation of olivine, Ca-rich clinopyroxene (salite), titaniferous magnetite, and partly alkali feldspar give rise to trachyandesites and trachytes. Magma mixing between basalt and trachyte resulted in the formation of basaltic trachyandesites. The alkaline lamprophyres, crystallized from volatile-enriched basanitic or alkali basaltic magmas, display extensive compositional and textural varieties. The Quixaba melanephelinitic flows include abundant olivine melanephelinites (with olivine phenocrysts), intercalated with melilite melanephelinites (with olivine and melilite phenocrysts) and pyroxene melanephelinites (with olivine and clinopyroxene phenocrysts). The chemical composition of the essential minerals shows some variation among different melanephelinites, such as \'K IND. 2\'O-rich nephelines (up to 10 wt% \'K IND. 2\'O) in the melilite melanephelinites and some olivine melanephelinites. Late-stage accessory phlogopite and biotite are Ti-and Ba-rich (Ti\'O IND. 2\' = 3 -14 wt%; BaO = 2 to 18 wt%), the enrichment being directly related to the melanephelinitic type. The largest values were found in an olivine melanephelinite. The main difference between the basanite flows and the basanites of the São José and Cuscuz Islands resides in the olivine composition which is \'Fo IND. 87-82\' in the flows and \'Fo IND. \'+ OU -\' 70\' in the islands, indicating parental magmas with different Mg/\'Fe POT. 2+\' ratio. The results of this work indicate that the various lithologies of the Quixaba episode formed by crystallization of magmas were generated by partial melting of a mantle source. The strong fractionation of the REE patterns suggests the presence of residual garnet in the mantle and the Rb and K anomalies, observed in primitive-mantle normalized trace element patterns, point to the retention of a potassium-bearing phase in the source (possibly phlogopite), during partial melting. Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic studies performed in samples from both volcanic episodes indicate that two mantle sources were involved in the origin of the Remédios rocks. The rocks of the Quixaba episode seem to have been generated from only one mantle source. In both cases, variations in isotopic ratios can be explained by a mixture of depleted mantle DMM with EM I and HIMU components.

Apresenta e discute acervo iconográfico com foco no espaço urbano do Recife colonial e reflete se a análise dessa iconografia é suficiente para compreensão de mudanças na identidade urbana ligada a determinado empreendedor ou fase de governo colonial, do lusoibérico ao pós-neerlandês. Mostra através da iconografia, sistema de representação gráfica materializadora de informações e discursos, ser possível a invenção se contrapondo à verdade observada e a outras iconografias. Reflete suficiência da análise iconográfica para compreender mudanças na identidade urbana nas fases de governo luso-ibérico, neerlandêsholandês e pós-neerlandês, de acordo com as necessidades das etapas do empreendimento colonial. Numa inquietação científica, a tese impôs resultado divergente da hipótese inicial, entendendo que para a discussão aprofundada da distinção das identidades nos fatos urbanos e modelos urbanísticos, arquitetônicos e de investimentos, nos períodos de governo, de forma não subjetiva e sem juízos de valor, a leitura e entendimento através da iconografia só se mostrou suficiente a partir de base historiográfica. Esse aprofundamento permitiu questionar convenções sobre a construção da identidade urbana, permitindo superar a metodologia de análise identitária tradicional, passando a utilizar variáveis reais documentadas pela historiografia, respondendo cientificamente à construção do fenômeno urbano. A partir disso, discute a convencionada e subjetiva transplantação identitária, defendendo ocorrência de construção da cidade e sua identidade a partir das variáveis da cidade necessária [ambiente, interesses e, investimento de meio e materiais], passando a perceber as formas distintas de investir e as distintas identidades urbanas resultantes, até dentro de uma mesma fase de governo do empreendimento colonial, por exemplo, diferenciando neerlandeses de holandeses [Nassau] da WIC. Constatou que a cidade foi construída com pragmatismo, na emergência da falta de recursos públicos, das guerras, da falta de logística de meios e materiais, nem condições políticas para intervenção impositiva. Elementos culturais, desenhos e forma de implantação de edifícios e sistema urbano puderam ser transplantados e miscigenados na babel colonial, frente às necessidades e emergências, mas a identidade urbana empreendida foi consolidada no ambiente construído, não como discurso, ou imposição, mas através do saber fazer dos personagens coloniais. / This work shows and discuss the iconography heap focalizing the urban space of colonial Recife and reflects if their iconography analysis is enough for the changes understanding in urban identity connected to a specific contractor or colonial government phase, to Lusitian- Iberian from after-Netherlandish. It is showed, by iconography, system of materializing graphical representation of informations and discuss, that is possible the invention be opposed of examined true and another iconographies. This work reflects the sufficiency of iconography analyses to understand the urban identity changes in the Lusitian-Iberian, Netherlandish-Dutch governments and post-Netherlandish, according the level necessities of colonial enterprise. In a scientific inquietude, this thesis imposes a different result of initial hypothesis, understanding that for a deepened discussion of identities in urban facts and urbanistic, architectonic and investment models, in government periods, of a no subjective form and without value judgment, the lecture and understanding by the iconography just showed sufficient by an historiographical basis. This deepening allows to question conventions about the urban identity construction, allowing overcame the methodology oftraditional identity analyses, passing to utilize real variables documented by historiography, answering scientifically to construction of urban phenomenon. From this, it was discussed the covenanted and subjective identity transplantation, defending the occurrence of urban construction and their identity from the necessary city variables (environment, interests and material and mean investments), passing to perceive the different forms to invest and the different urban identities resultant, until into of a same phase of colonial enterprise, for example, differencing netherlandishes from ditches (Nassau) from WIC. It was observed that city was constructed with pragmatism, in emergency of public resources missed, from wars, from logistics missing of means and materials, neither political conditions to an imposing intervention. Cultural elements, draws and form of buildings implantation and urban system could be transplanted and miscegenated in colonial Babel, front of necessities and emergencies, but the undertaked urban identity was consolidated in a constructed environment, not as discuss, or imposition, but by the knowhow from colonial characters.

Formulaic sequences are very frequently used in language as a preferred way to convey certain meanings. This thesis looks at distribution, processing, and incidental acquisition of formulaic sequences, by presenting four separate studies on different aspects of formulaicity. Study 1 investigated the distribution of four different categories of formulaic sequences (collocations, idiomatic phrases, lexical bundles, and phrasal verbs) and showed that those four categories vary considerably in terms of frequency. Also, register seems to affect the number of formulaic sequences used, as well as the categories of formulaic sequences preferred. Importantly, this study raised an issue of form variation of formulaic sequences (especially collocations) which seemed to be an under-researched area. Therefore, the following studies investigated the effect of form variation (focusing on non-adjacency) on collocation processing and their incidental acquisition. Studies 2 and 3 used an eye-tracking technique to investigate how native and non-native speakers of English process adjacent and non-adjacent verb-noun collocations. The results suggest that native speakers process both adjacent and non-adjacent collocations faster than matched control phrases, albeit the collocation effect seems to be larger for adjacent collocations. As for non-native speakers, there is a clear collocation effect for adjacent collocations and it is moderated by prior vocabulary knowledge. However, there seems to be almost no effect for non-adjacent collocations. This finding suggests that even advanced non-native speakers process non-adjacent collocations differently than native speakers. Finally, Study 4 tried to take the findings from the previous studies to a classroom. It investigated whether there is any difference between the chances of incidentally acquiring adjacent and non-adjacent collocations from reading. The results suggest low but durable gains for both adjacent and non-adjacent collocations, with no significant differences between these two groups of items. Overall, the results presented in the thesis support the idea that formulaic language is ubiquitous, but suggest that some of the criteria that have been widely used for identifying formulaic sequences might need to be reconsidered. It seems that collocations, at least for native speakers, retain their formulaic status even when presented non-adjacently. They seem to be successfully learned as non-adjacent dependencies as well. While this finding cannot be easily generalized to other types of formulaic sequences, it seems to suggest that a lot more research on form variation of formulaic sequences is needed in order to better understand the scope of the phenomenon.

This thesis explores the use of the word chav in written discourse in Britain published between 2004 and 2008. Taking a critical social semiotic approach, it discusses how chav as a semiotic resource contributes to particular ways of using language to represent the world – Discourses – and to particular ways of using language to act on the world – Genres – suggesting that, though the word is far from homogenous in its use, it is consistently used to identify the public differences of Britain as a class society in terms of personal dispositions and choices, and in taking an ironic, stereotyped stance towards such differences. It is suggested that these tendencies can be viewed as ideological, as contributing to social domination and inequality. Chav is also found to be subject to a great deal of metalinguistic discussion, some of which serves to critique the above tendencies, but much of which does not.

The research presented in this thesis investigates the feasibility of a corpus-influenced syllabus for primary literacy education in Japan. It achieves this with reference to two aspects of the context within which such an initiative might be developed. One is the cultural context; that is,the demands of primary ELT in Japan. Therefore this research explores policy makers’ and teachers’views, the texts frequently used in primary ELT classrooms, and some aspects of teacher training. The other focus is from a linguistic viewpoint, concerned with the identification of linguistic features which pupils need to learn for the development of their English literacy. This thesis describes an innovative method for identifying such features. The cultural context was investigated by means of three surveys, the first of which was used to inform the choice of texts to include in the corpus. The surveys reveal a lack of attention to literacy teaching and teacher education in primary ELT in Japan, but also point to some potential for syllabus development. The research offers support for a corpus-influenced syllabus for teaching English literacy, while concluding that there is a need for incorporating it into teacher education and developing teaching methodologies which suit the pedagogic context of the Japanese primary school classroom.

The interface of corpus linguistics and second language writing has led to extensive corpus-based research focusing on a description of academic writing. The overwhelming majority of this research, however, has focused on scholarly writing, which may not be a valid model for novice writing. This thesis proposes the teaching of second language writing should be informed by a staircase model of writing progression which aims instruction at the level of student writing. For English for academic purposes writers in intensive English programs, this target is first year undergraduate writing, specifically freshman composition as it is taught in North American higher education contexts. This study specifically compares the frequency of the noun phrase in freshman composition writing and scholarly writing with two main aims: to provide empirical evidence of the differences between the two levels of writing and to contribute to a description of freshman composition writing. The findings from this comparison clearly demonstrate that noun phrases in both levels of writing employ a discernible pattern, and there are distinct differences between those patterns. A critical need form pedagogical materials to focus more on phrasal structures in general, but especially nounphrases, is evident.

This thesis consists of ten chapters and its research methodology is a combination of quantitative and qualitative. Chapter One introduces the theme of the thesis, a demonstration of a corpus-based comparative approach in detecting the needs of the learners by looking for the similarities and disparities between the learner English (the COLEC corpus) and the NS English (the LOCNESS corpus). Chapter Two reviews the literature in relevant learner language studies and indicates the tasks of the research. The data and technology are introduced in Chapter Three. Chapter Four shows how two verb lemma lists can be made by using the Wordsmith Tools supported by other corpus and IT tools. How to make sense of the verb lemma lists is the focus of the second part of this chapter. Chapter Five deals with the individual forms of verbs and the findings suggest that there is less homogeneity in the learner English than the NS English. Chapter Six extends the research to verb–noun relationships in the learner English and the NS English and the result shows that the learners prioritise verbs over nouns. Chapter Seven studies the learners’ preferences in using the patterns of KEEP compared with those of the NSs, and finds that the learners have various problems in using this simple verb. In this chapter, too, my reservations about the traditional use of ‘overuse’ and ‘underuse’ are expressed and a finer classification system is suggested. Chapter Eight compares another frequently-occurring verb, TAKE, in the aspect of collocates and yields similar findings that the learners have problems even with such simple vocabulary. In Chapter Nine, the research findings from Chapter Four to Chapter Eight are revisited and discussed in relation to the theme of the thesis. The concluding chapter, Chapter Ten, summarises the previous chapters and envisages how learner language studies will develop in the coming few years.