ILLUSTRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF COLLOCATION IN ENGLISH AND ARABIC

Abstract

In this paper, an attempt is made to study the term collocation as a group of words occur together repeatedly. It incorporates a fairly detailed analysis of collocation in both English and Arabic.  The purpose of this paper is to focus on this important area in an attempt to bring out the nature and significance of collocation and its relation to lexicography. We, for example, can compare the collocation patterns of two adjectives strong and powerful, which might seem to have similar meanings. Though we can use both for some item, e.g. strong arguments and powerful arguments, elsewhere there are collocation effects. For example we talk of strong tea rather than powerful tea; but a powerful car rather than a strong car. Similarly blond collocates with hair and adlle with eggs. We can note names of groups act like this: we say a herd of cattle, but a pack of dogs. Finally, it is hoped that this piece of work will bridge a gap in interpretation, teaching and learning on the one hand, and will motivate further research into other important areas in English and Arabic, on the other.