What is a Collocation
As said before, collocation is a group of two or more words that usually occur
together. In fact, this is a natural combination of words we closely associate together.
Some examples include phrases like fast train, quick shower, make appointments,
do shopping, narrow-minded, and do errands. For English native writers, collocations
are natural, but for non-native English speakers, they are not so obvious. For
example, a non-native speaker may utter phrases like do appointments, quick food,
and dark tea, but these do not sound natural.
However, we can easily guess the meaning of collocations by looking at the meaning
of individual words. Moreover, some collocations are very strong and fixed. But some
are more open, and various different words can be used to get the same meaning.
Besides, there are different types of collocations. Given below are some examples:
Noun + Noun – a sense of pride, a cup of coffee, etc.
Noun + Verb – plane taking off, making an appointment, keep a secret, get
pregnant, etc.
Adjective + Noun – brief chat, bright color, quick shower, powerful engine, etc.
Adverb + Adjective – happily married, fully aware, etc.
What is a Colligation
A colligation is a grouping of words based on certain grammatical patterns. It’s a type
of collocation based on the way they function in a syntactic structure. In a colligation,
we link a lexical item to a grammatical item. The linguist, Ute Römer, describes
colligation as the “way in which word classes co-occur or keep habitual company in
an utterance.” Let’s now look at some examples of colligation.
Verbs like see, hear, and notice occur with the sequence of object + present participle
or infinitive. For instance, I heard Anna sing/I heard Anna singing; we saw him
leave/we saw him leaving, etc. On the other hand, verbs like permit, enable, forbid,
and allow use the sequence of object + to + infinitive. For example, she forbade him
to sing; it enabled the bird to fly; the teacher permitted us to go out. In the above
examples, these lexical items (verbs) are linked to certain grammatical patterns. This
is why we consider them as colligations.
Difference Between Collocation and Colligation
Definition
A collocation is a grouping of two or more words that are commonly used together
in English, whereas a colligation is a grouping of words based on certain grammatical
patterns.
Nature
Moreover, collocation involves words while colligation involves grammar and
syntax.
Compositions
In a collocation, two or more words are combined together; these could include noun
+ noun, adjective + noun, noun + verb, verb + adverb, etc. However, in a colligation,
a lexical item is linked to a grammatical item; for example, verb+ object + present
participle or verb + object + to + infinitive.
Examples
Quick shower, fast food, a cup of coffee, make an appointment, run errands, etc., are
some examples of collocations, whereas see him leave, hear it singing, enable the
country to flourish are some examples of colligations using common verbs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a collocation is a grouping of two or more words that are commonly
used together in English. A colligation, on the other hand, is a grouping of words
based on certain grammatical patterns. While collocation involves lexical items,
colligation involves grammar and syntax. Thus, this is the main difference between
collocation and colligation.
Reference:
1. “English Collocations.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Jan. 2022.
2. Beare, Kenneth. “Learn about Collocation in English.” ThoughtCo, 21 Jan. 2018.
3. Nordquist, Richard. “Colligations in English: Words That Keep Each Other
Company.” ThoughtCo, 12 Feb. 2020.
