Beyond corpus linguistics: integrating methods in cognitive research

Abstract

Overall, the article addresses the limitations of corpus analysis, which despite its representativeness and objectivity captures only the manifestations of speech without providing access to the mental processes behind language. The aim is to systematize and typologize approaches to overcome these limitations and to substantiate converging evidence as a tool for enhancing reliability. The paper proposes a typology of six main approaches grouped by their relation to corpus analysis: semantic-cognitive and experimental methods expand the empirical basis; usage‑based and parametric approaches shift the theoretical perspective; conceptual‑inferential and ecological cognitive linguistics broaden the research perspective. The typology is tested on the concept SUCCESS in Russian consciousness using data from the Russian Associative Dictionary, the National Corpus, and psychosemantic and associative experiments. Comparison of corpus and experimental data revealed a core and peripheral shifts. Corpus analysis showed an increase in collocations for active achievement, while associative experiments also revealed a shift from luck as a gift to success as a result of overcoming obstacles. The convergence of results from independent sources clearly confirms the principle of converging evidence, overcoming subjectivity and yielding reliable results. Finally, the paper concludes that the most productive strategy is not a single method, but multimethodological strategies.