A database of real language samples stored on a computer used for investigating language use and structure is called what?

• A. Corpus
• B. Lexicon
• C. Dictionary
• D. Inventory

Answer: (A)

A corpus is a large, structured collection of real language samples stored on a computer for study. It’s built to reflect how language is actually used, allowing researchers to analyze patterns like word frequencies, collocations, and syntactic constructions across different genres or time periods. This practical, data-driven approach distinguishes it from a lexicon (a word list with meanings and properties), a dictionary (a reference work of definitions and usage), or an inventory (a catalog of items in a domain). By querying the corpus, you can observe language in context, measure how often things occur, and test ideas about how language is used and organized. Notable examples include well-known public corpora like the Corpus of Contemporary American English or the British National Corpus.