Design and Development of the MERLIN Learner Corpus Platform

Design and Development of the MERLIN1 Learner Corpus Platform Verena Lyding†, Karin Schöne* †Institute for Specialised Communication and Multilingualism, EURAC research, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy; *Multimediales Sprachlernzentrum, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany E-mail: verena.lyding@eurac.edu, karin.schoene@mailbox.tu-dresden.de Abstract In this paper we report on the design and development of an online search platform for the MERLIN1 corpus of learner texts in Czech, German and Italian. It was created in the context of the MERLIN project, which aims at empirically illustrating features of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for evaluating language competences based on authentic learner text productions compiled into a learner corpus. Furthermore, the project aims at providing access to the corpus through a search interface adapted to the needs of multifaceted target groups involved with language learning and teaching. This article starts by providing a brief overview on the project ambition, the data resource and its intended target groups. Subsequently, the main focus of the article is on the design and development process of the platform, which is carried out in a user-centred fashion. The paper presents the user studies carried out to collect requirements, details the resulting decisions concerning the platform design and its implementation, and reports on the evaluation of the platform prototype and final adjustments. Keywords: learner corpora, corpus search tools, user-centred development 1. Introduction This article describes the design and development process of a search platform for a trilingual learner corpus with multifaceted target groups. The MERLIN project addresses the need for illustrating the CEFR levels of language proficiency with concrete and authentic examples of language use and tackles two related research questions. On a theoretical level, that is with regard to linguistics and language didactics, it researches on the best ways to pinpoint and describe relevant characteristics of learner language in relation to CEFR evaluation dimensions. On a practical level, that is with regard to system development, it researches about how to encode, make accessible and present this information to a varied set of target groups. This paper describes how the practical research question has been approached. It details the user-centered design and development process and discusses the decisions taken as well as the potential and limits of the developed system. 2. MERLIN Project The overall objective of the MERLIN1 project is to address the need for an empirical back-up of the CEFR levels by providing concrete examples of learner language features. Within an interdisciplinary trans-European project team three major tasks were approached within MERLIN: 1. to assemble a trilingual learner corpus, 2. to carefully evaluate relevant parameters for describing learner language and to annotate related features on the learner texts, and 3. to develop a search platform for providing the texts and means for their analysis to a diversified group of users. 1 Multilingual Platform for the European Reference Levels – Exploring Interlanguage in Context, www.merlin-platform.eu 2 http://www.telc.net/ 3 http://ujop.cuni.cz/en/exams/czech-language-for-foreigners 4 Fair average holistic rating 2.1 MERLIN Corpus The MERLIN corpus consists of written productions of foreign language learners of Czech, German and Italian, which are …

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