Abstract
The article outlines analytical methods developed for language research based on very large corpora at the Institute for the German language in Mannheim (Corpus Linguistics Programme Area). The aspects of cooccurrence which cause semantic proximity are shown on modules presented at the home page of the "Glass Lab" of Cooccurrence Data Base (CCDB), namely, Cooccurrence Analysis, Cooccurrence Profiles, Self-Organizing Maps, Contrasting Near Synonyms and Common Global Contexts.
After a short description, the author explains how these methods can be used by lexicologists and lexicographers when describing words and their relations in local and global contexts. Some examples show how the tools lead to an empirical description of the semantic relations which cannot be based on bare linguistic intuition.
Focusing on the latest research in semantic relations mentioned here, the author concludes that they should be seen in their broader sense, e. g., their oppositeness, as well as based on structures traced in local and global contexts. This view meets the needs of lexicographers aiming at a more realistic description of various semantic features and their sometimes subtle contrasts.
It shows the urgent need for innovation in describing semantic relations in the authentic usage (parole), not on the systemic level (langue) only.