Mapping the Intellectual Structure of Linguistics Research Over 101 Years (1919–2020)

Authors

Fasih Ahmed, COMSATS University, Islamabad, PakistanFollow
Murtaza Ashiq, Islamabad Model College for Boys H-9, Islamabad (Pakistan)Follow
Shafiq Ur Rehman, Imam Abdulrehman Bin Faisal University, P.O.Box 1982, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaFollow
Shakil Ahmad, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaFollow
Shaista Rashid, Prince Sultan UniversityFollow

Abstract

This article reviews 101 years (1919–2020) of research in the field of linguistics. The main objective of this paper was to analyze the published research and citations on linguistics and present the results from the perspective of growing trends, most productive and influential countries, organizations, authors, research journals, keywords, authorship patterns, and international collaborations. The subject category of linguistics selected in the Web of Science database, for this purpose, 6144 publications have been retrieved from the Web of Science database. This retrieved data is analyzed using visualization tools and dividing it into two phases on a temporal basis. Overall, the first phase, from 1919-1999, shows a lower number of research publications in linguistics, whereas the second phase (2000-2020) with 5585 publications and 41195 citations shows a significant growth in linguistics research. Among them, the highest number of publications is from the US that is followed by the UK. Noticeably, the consideration of the authorship of these researches indicates a strong preference for single authorship (with 3803 articles) in comparison to co-authorship (with only 1463 articles). On the basis of frequency-based keyword analysis, it is observed that the interaction of linguistics with other field s such as computer science, psychology, and the law has been particularly productive for the establishment of new subfields in linguistics which include computational linguistics, cognitive linguistics, and forensic linguistics.