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Using Internet search engines to estimate word frequency.

Irene V Blair1, Geoffrey R Urland, Jennifer E Ma

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0345, USA. irene.blair@colorado.edu

Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers : a Journal of the Psychonomic Society, Inc
|July 12, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Internet search engines offer a fast and affordable way to estimate word frequencies. This method aligns well with traditional analyses and is reliable over time, proving useful for specialized vocabulary.

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Area of Science:

  • Computational linguistics
  • Psycholinguistics
  • Corpus linguistics

Background:

  • Traditional methods for estimating word frequencies, such as corpus analysis, can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
  • Existing linguistic databases may not cover all necessary lexical items, including specialized terms like forenames or slang.
  • Participant ratings of familiarity offer a subjective measure but may lack objective accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate Internet search engines as a viable alternative for estimating word frequencies.
  • To compare the accuracy and reliability of search engine-derived frequencies against established methods.
  • To assess the utility of search engines for estimating frequencies of less common or specialized words.

Main Methods:

  • Frequency estimates for 382 words were generated using Internet search engines.

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  • These estimates were compared with data from the Kucera and Francis (1967) corpus analysis and the CELEX English linguistic database.
  • Participant familiarity ratings were also collected and compared.

    • Main Results:

    • Internet search engine frequency estimates demonstrated high consistency with Kucera and Francis and CELEX data.
    • Estimates were consistent across different search engines and reliable over a 6-month period.
    • Participant familiarity judgments showed poor correlation with objective frequency estimates.

    Conclusions:

    • Internet search engines provide a rapid, cost-effective, and reliable method for estimating word frequencies.
    • This approach is particularly valuable for obtaining frequency data not available in traditional corpora, such as for forenames and slang.
    • Researchers should utilize search engines with extensive databases for maximum representativeness.