Research trends in corpus pragmatics
Drawing on 660 Web-of-Science articles, this study traces the 15-year trajectory of corpus pragmatics, which has grown into an increasingly influential field. Co-citation analysis and network mapping reveal that Journal of Pragmatics has remained the most influential journal throughout, while the impact of other pragmatics- and corpus-related journals has also significantly increased over time. Meanwhile, foundational works continue to be frequently cited, but more recent contributions highlight the emergence of new research themes. Besides, a diachronic keyword analysis also demonstrates growing interest in topics such as new types of speech acts (e.g., self-denigration and self-praise), pragmatic competence, and subfields like historical, diachronic, and variational pragmatics. The study concludes by urging richer linguistic diversity, multimodal annotation and deeper integration of emerging technologies to propel the field forward. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive overview of the field’s evolution and offers valuable insights for future research in corpus pragmatics.