Erfahrung zählt. Frequenzeff ekte in der Sprache–ein WerkstattberichtFrequency as a Determinant in Usage-Based Models of Language Change, Language Processing and Language Acquisition

Frequency is defi ned in terms of number of occurrences of a given linguistic structure in a particular linguistic system or sub-system (as approximated by a suitable corpus). Frequency is assumed to be a possible determinant in usage-based models of language change, language acquisition and language processing. While the default assumption is that there is a non-trivial relation between frequency of occurrence thus defi ned and mental and structural representation, the frequency factor is being investigated with a view both to its explanatory potential and to its challenges in future research.