Exploring Pattern Flow - A Critical Assessment of an Elusive Concept

In her dissertation, Laura Göttmann deals with the concept of pattern as it is used in the Pattern Grammar. Patterns are derived from frequency-based corpus analysis and represent a way of interpreting the English language within the framework of COBUILD research. The study critically assesses the concept of pattern and of pattern flow within the framework of the Pattern Grammar. It focusses on the question of which level of linguistic description (abstraction) best represents typical recurring linear structures in language. Laura Göttmann also provides an alternative way of describing regular patterning which is based on an overview of well-known linguistic concepts in abstract language description from early Structuralism to today and of corpus linguistic developments. The study may be considered a contribution to a theoretical framework based on abstractions and instantiations in language description evolving from corpus linguistic language analysis.