ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that corpus linguistics Corpus Linguistics (CL) has a lot to offer to researchers in the field of second language acquisition Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and that CL can contribute to a better understanding of trajectories in SLA, as well as challenge existing assumptions of SLA. The chapter demonstrates this by showcasing research that, by describing learner performance at various stages of acquiring a second language, highlights the process rather than the product of SLA. This research is based on learner corpora of various types, including cross-sectional learner corpora, longitudinal learner corpora and pseudolongitudinal (or quasi-longitudinal) learner corpora. SLA researchers could benefit from using these corpora types, as they provide a rich amount of empirical data which allow the researcher to study language development. The chapter also outlines avenues for improvement in learner corpus creation that could increase the use and usefulness of this data source in SLA research.
