ESLORA corpus of spoken Spanish: a resource for the research into Spanish as a foreign language (ELE)

Abstract

This paper introduces the ESLORA corpus (https://eslora.usc.es/) and describes, by means of specific examples, some possibilities of its use as a resource for the research into Spanish as a foreign language (ELE). First (section 1.1), the project is contextualized and its main goals are summarized. In section 1.2, we introduce the structure and design of the corpus, paying special attention to those aspects that are immediately related to its use in linguistic research. In section 1.3, we present the possibilities the interface offers in gathering linguistic information. The second part of this contribution concerns the description of several practical cases of how the corpus can be used in ELE teaching and learning. Section 2.1 deals with two derivative mechanisms, the affixes ‑ito/a/os/as and super‑. Section 2.2 is about certain features of the combinatorial syntax of ser and estar. Section 2.3 focuses on the use and the functions of discourse particles. Finally, in section 2.4, we present an example of teamwork between teachers and researchers in accordance with the action research methodology, which is about the way future tense is expressed in Spanish.