Big linguistic data as a paradigm shift in modern philology

Abstract

The article conceptualizes Big Linguistic Data (BLD) as a fundamental factor driving a systemic paradigm shift in modern philology. It is argued that at the beginning of the 21st century, philological science entered a phase of large-scale transformation due to the changing ontological nature of linguistic material—from static, closed sign systems to dynamic, non-linear, and continuously updated data flows. The research explicates the methodological transition from traditional qualitative analysis and corpus-based validation to a data-driven paradigm. A core contribution of the study is the adaptation of the classical Big Data parameters—volume, velocity, variety, and veracity—to the linguistic dimension by introducing a crucial fifth element: semantic and pragmatic complexity. The study highlights the integration of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and transformer architectures (such as GPT and BERT) into a broader Data Science ecosystem. This shift redefines the object of philology, moving from the analysis of some text as a static final product to the critical analysis of the models that generate and interpret this text. The authors examine the rise of "platform philology," where scientific success increasingly depends on access to complex digital infrastructures and super-powerful computing resources. This transformation is accompanied by acute structural inequalities, such as the digital endangerment of low-resource languages (including Ukrainian) and the persistence of Anglocentrism in global linguistic technologies. Furthermore, the article scrutinizes serious epistemological and ethical challenges, including the "black box" dilemma of algorithmic opacity, privacy risks, and the reinforcement of social biases through original training corpora. The authors emphasize the necessity of developing a hybrid methodology that synthesizes the colossal computing power of AI with the hermeneutic depth and ethical completeness of classical philology. Ultimately, the research posits that philology is experiencing a rebirth as a high-tech discipline within the Digital Humanities, capable of operating with global digital arrays while preserving the human dimension and linguistic diversity.