Investigating Lexical Diversity for Stylometric Analysis: A Corpus-Based Comparison of Three English Translations of The Arabian Nights' Entertainments

Abstract

This study investigates variation in lexical diversity across three selected English translations of The Arabian Nights’ Entertainments. Its primary objective is to assess the extent to which lexical diversity measures can reveal differences in the lexical features of the three translations. To reduce the effect of text length, the selected full texts were compared with length-controlled samples. The findings indicate distinct patterns of lexical variation across the three translations. Richard Burton is associated with greater lexical diversity and a higher proportion of less common and more complex vocabulary, whereas Edward Lane exhibits a more formal and structurally complex lexical style, while John Payne demonstrates a relatively more balanced lexical profile. The measures also reveal varying degrees of differentiation and convergence among the translations, particularly among measures that are less sensitive to changes in text length. The study concludes that lexical diversity measures can contribute to identifying patterns of stylistic variation at the lexical level, but cannot, on their own, establish translator style as a multidimensional and more complex construct. Accordingly, the study recommends that future research combine multiple lexical measures and employ appropriate statistical methods, alongside a sliding-window methodology, to examine the consistency of observed patterns across different sections of the texts and enhance the generalizability of the findings.