What is the study of language using samples from real-world usage called?

The study of language using samples from real-world usage is called corpus studies. This approach involves compiling and analyzing collections of authentic language data to understand how language is used in various contexts. Corpus studies allow researchers to examine the frequency of specific words, phrases, and grammatical structures, providing insights into language patterns and usage within different genres and registers.

This methodology is grounded in empirical evidence, as it relies on actual instances of language in use, making it distinct from theoretical or prescriptive approaches that focus more on rules or norms of language. In essence, corpus studies bridge the gap between theory and practice, offering valuable data-driven insights into linguistic behavior.

In contrast, other fields such as pragmatics focus on the social aspects of language use, semiotics examines signs and symbols in communication, and deixis pertains to context-dependent references in language. While these areas are certainly important in the study of language, they do not primarily involve the analysis of real-world language samples in the same systematic way that corpus studies do.