A Corpus-Based Approach to Analysing Evaluative Adjectives in Student-Generated Tourism Texts

Abstract

This study explores the potential of integrating corpus-based analysis of evaluative adjectives into foreign language instruction. Research has indicated that exposure to authentic corpus data can reinforce language proficiency and promote precise adjective usage across various communicative contexts. To investigate these claims, 60 first-year translation and interpreting university students at a B2 proficiency level participated in the study. They were tasked with selecting and applying adjectives to describe Gran Canaria, emphasizing lexical choices that capture the island’s identity within a tourism-related context. Our research employed a mixed-methods design, combining quantitative frequency analysis with qualitative assessments to reveal patterns in adjective usage and measure their practical utility. The findings indicate that a corpus-driven approach significantly enhances learners’ awareness of adjective classifications and their ability to use adjectives in nuanced ways across different registers.