In this collection of innovative and original articles, an international team of scholars demonstrate the newest technological trends and data-intensive technologies in the empirical study of English linguistics. Through a range of in-depth case studies, it advocates for the use of advanced technologies and digital tools to enable study in this ever-evolving field. To achieve optimal coherence across the volume, each chapter answers a core question: 'How can data-intensive and computational methods help scholars answer research questions that are solidly grounded in the theoretical foundations of English linguistics?' Digitalization is expected to accelerate, and this development will continue to impact research in the humanities. This volume fills in a clear gap and will drive empirical linguistic research forward, by introducing a variety of innovative techniques and tools that not only offer new answers to old questions in English linguistics but also open up exciting new research questions in the field.

‘This timely volume zooms in on recent developments in data-intensive digital tools and methods, and showcases how new approaches can help answer research questions that are firmly grounded in linguistic theory. The editors propose several key benchmarks of data-intensive approaches in the field and outline avenues for multi- and interdisciplinary collaborative research, also drawing attention to the pitfalls and challenges in the ongoing digital transformation of English linguistics. This book is indispensable reading for anyone interested in the future of English-language research.’

Marcus Callies - University of Bremen

‘The advent of big data and digital technologies has promised a revolution in the ways in which we do research in fields that have traditionally been dominated by theory and interpretation. In this book, Mikko Laitinen and Paula Rautionaho have astutely marshaled a compelling set of studies that demonstrate how data-intensive investigations in English linguistics offer us new vistas for collecting, processing, and analyzing large amounts of data. The results not only generate exciting new insights but enable us to ask new questions that previously remained out of the realm of possibility.’

Michael Haugh - The University of Queensland

‘This volume brings together cutting-edge research showing how the analysis of language data at scale is transforming our understanding of the English language. These studies are especially timely given the growth of digital communication and AI, which are rapidly expanding the possibilities for empirical research and methodological innovation in linguistics.’

Jack Grieve - University of Birmingham

‘This volume offers a timely and compelling account of how data-intensive methods are reshaping English linguistics, combining innovative computational approaches with deep engagement with theoretical and methodological considerations. It will be of great value not only to specialists in English linguistics, but also to scholars across the language sciences who want to know more about how digital tools can enhance both the empirical breadth and the conceptual depth of linguistics research.’

Barbara McGillivray - Senior Lecturer in Digital and Computational Humanities, King’s College London