3.3.2 Average of averages

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For this method, the results of the keywords thine and yours are contrasted in a table. The occurrences of the variants are counted for each of the works. However, there are some works with only one of them so the other variant has 0 occurrences for the respective work. Works consisting of two or more parts are reduced to one for convenience and clarity. In order to get the frequency of yours during the first part between 1518 and 1600, for each work the individual frequency is calculated. Then all percentages are added up and then divided by the number of works listed. In this case, all averages added together equal 19.6. This number has to be divided by the number of the works listed, which is 54 here. The result is a frequency of 0.36 for the first century regarded. The table can be seen in the following.

Table: Thine and Yours between 1518 and 1600

Author/Title

thine

yours

Frequency of yours

Anonymous/Tales and quicke answeres 1

1

0

0

Anonymous/Tarltons newes out of Purgatorie 1

1

0

0

Anonymous/The Cobler of Caunterburie

0

4

1

Anonymous/The Image of Idlenesse 5

0

5

1

Anonymous/Tarltons newes out of Purgatorie 1

0

1

1

Anonymous/Ualentyne and Orson 2

2

3

0.6

Averell, W./A Dyall for dainty Darlings 1

1

1

0.5

Baldwin, W./Beware the cat 2

2

3

0.6

Blage, T./A schole of wise Conceytes 6

6

2

0.25

Breton, N./The Strange Fortvnes of Two Excellent Princes 9

9

4

0.31

Chambers, R./Palestina 16

16

0

0

Chettle, H./Kind–Harts Dreame 3

3


0

Chettle, H./Piers Plainnes seauen yeres Prentiship 2

2

1

0.33

Dickenson, J./Arisbas 1

1

0

0

Dickenson, J./Greene in Conceipt 6

6

3

0.33

Forde, E./Parismus

8

14

0.36

Gascoigne, G./The aduentures of Master F. I. 2

2

7

0.77

Gascoigne, G./Ferdinando Ieronomi and Leonora de Valasco 5

5

8

0.62

Gosson, S./The Ephemerides of Phialo 6

6

1

0.14

Grange, J./The Golden Aphroditis 17

17

10

0.37

Greene, R./Gwydonius 19

19

5

0.21

Greene, R./Mamillia 6

6

4

0.4

Greene, R./Menaphon 10

10

3

0.23

Greene, R./Pandosto 5

5

0

0

Greene, R./A Qvip for an Vpstart Courtier 2

2

0

0

Johnson, R./[The seuen Champions of Christendome], Part 2 6

6

0

0

Kittowe, R./Loues Load–starre 23

23

4

0.15

Lodge, T./A Margarite of America 11

11

5

0.31

Lodge, T./Rosalynde 25

25

5

0.17

Lyly, J./Euphues and his England 58

58

11

0.16

Lyly, J./Euphves 73

73

3

0.04

M., J./Phillippes Venus 3

3

0

0

Melbancke, B./Philotimus 41

41

9

0.18

Middleton, C./Chinon of England 5

5

0

0

Munday, A./Zelavto 4

4

3

0.43

Nashe,T./ Lenten Stuffe

0

1

1

Nashe,T./Pierce Penilesse

0

1

1

Nashe, T./The Vnfortvnate Traveller 1

1

7

0.88

Painter, W./The Palace of Pleasure

106

28

0.21

Parry, R./Moderatvs 18

18

3

0.14

Pettie, G./A petite Pallace 7

7

25

0.78

Rich, B./Brvsanvs 42

42

4

0.09

Rich, B./Do[n] Simonides

12

15

0.56

Rich, B./Riche his Farewell to Militarie profession 5

5

8

0.62

Roberts, H./A Defiance to Fortune 16

16

0

0

Roberts, H./Honovrs Conquest 8

8

2

0.2

Saker, A./Narbonus 4

4

1

0.2

Sharpham, E./ The Discouerie of the Knights of the Poste

0

2

1

Sidney, Sir P./The Covntesse of Pembrokes Arcadia 43

43

36

0.46

Skelton, J./ Merie Tales

0

1

1

Twine, L./The Patterne of painefull Aduentures 11

11

3

0.21

Warner, W./Pan his Syrinx 33

33

4

0.11

Whetstone, G./An Heptameron of Ciuill Discourses 2

2

1

0.33

Wotton, H./A Courtlie controuersie of Cupids Cautels 11

11

6

0.35


For the second part between 1601 and 1700, the procedure is identical. All frequencies of yours added up amount to a figure of 63.98. This number is divided by 110 works of the second century which results in a frequency of 0.58 for yours.

Table: Thine and Yours 1601 to 1700.

Author/Title

thine

yours

Frequency of yours

Anonymous/The Adventures of Covent Garden

0

3

1

Anonymous /Choice Novels, and Amorous Tales 2

2

15

0.88

Anonymous /Cleocreton & Cloryana 1

1

8

0.89

Anonymous /Cynthia 1

1

13

0.93

Anonymous /Dobsons Drie Bobbes 1

1

2

0.66

Anonymous /Don Tomazo

0

1

1

Anonymous /The Duke of Alançon and Q. Elizabeth

0

9

1

Anonymous /The Dutch Rogue

0

1

1

Anonymous /Fryer Bacon 2

2

1

0.33

Anonymous /Fortunatus

0

1

1

Anonymous /French Rogue

0

4

1

Anonymous /George Lord Favkonbridge 1

1

0

0

Anonymous /Hipolito and Isabella

0

6

1

Anonymous /The Hystorie of Hamblet 3

3

2

0.4

Anonymous /The London Bully 3

0

3

1

Anonymous /The London Jilt 1

0

1

1

Anonymous /Love's Posie 29

0

29

1

Anonymous /Marianvs 15

15

3

0.16

Anonymous /Morindos 1

1

0

0

Anonymous /Pasqvils Iestes 1

1

1

0.5

Anonymous /The Pinder of Wakefield

0

1

1

Anonymous /The Player's Tragedy

0

2

1

Anonymous /Robin Good–fellovv 1

1

0

0

Anonymous /Q. Elizabeth. and the E. of Essex

0

2

1

Anonymous /The Rival Mother

0

3

1

Anonymous /The Sack–Full of Newes 2

2

0

0

Anonymous /Scoggins Iestes 1

1

3

0.75

Anonymous /The Tincker of Tvrvey 3

3

3

0.5

Anonymous /Tudor, a Prince of Wales 1

1

3

0.75

Anonymous /Vertue Rewarded

0

8

1

Anonymous /VVestward for Smelts 1

1

2

0.66

Armin, R./A Nest of Ninnies 1

1

2

0.66

Baron, R./An Apologie For Paris 18

18

3

0.14

Baron, R./Erotopaignion 12

12

1

0.77

Behn, A./The Fair Jilt 1

1

0

0

Behn, A./The History of the Nun 1

1

1

0.5

Behn, A./Love–Letters Between a Noble–Man And his Sister

15

31

0.67

Behn, A./The Lucky Mistake

0

7

1

Bellon, P./The Court Secret 19

0

19

1

Bellon, P./A Relation of the Country of Jansenia

0

1

1

Beling, R./A Sixth Booke to the Covntesse of Pembrokes Arcadia 1

1

0

0

Bernard, R./The Isle of Man 2

2

1

0.33

Bettie, W./Titana, and Theseus 5

5

1

0.16

Blackbourn, R./Clitie

0

6

1

Borde, A./The Mad–Men of Gotam 1

1

0

0

Boyle, R./English Adventures

0

3

1

Boyle, R./Parthenissa

23

170

0.88

Brathwait, R./Panthalia 27

27

3


Brathwait, R./The Two Lancashire Lovers 5

5

7

0.1

Breton, N./Grimellos Fortunes

0

3

1

Breton, N./A Mad VVorld my masters 3

3

2

0.4

Breton, N./The Miseries of Mauillia 1

1

5

0.83

Breton, N./The Strange Fortvnes of Two Excellent Princes

0

4

1

Brewer, T./The merry Deuill of Edmonton 3

3

0

0

Brown, T./Amusements Serious and Comical

0

1

1

Bunyan, J./The Holy War 23

23

3

0.12

Bunyan, J./The Life and Death of Mr. Badman 10

10

0

0

Bunyan, J./The Pilgrim's Progress

11

4

0.27

Cavendish, M./Assaulted and pursued Chastity 1

0

1

1

Cavendish, M./The Contract

0

2

1

Charleton, W./The Ephesian and Cimmerian Matrons 1

1

2

0.66

Congreve, W./Incognita 1

1

0

0

Crowne, J./Pandion and Amphigenia 5

5

6

0.55

Dauncey, J./The English Lovers 6

6

15

0.71

Dekker, T./Penny–VVise, Povnd Foolish 1

1

2

0.66

Dekker, T./The Ravevens Almanacke

0

3

1

Dekker, T./The VVonderfull yeare 10

10

1

0.09

Deloney, T./The Gentle Craft

5

5

0.5

Deloney, T./Iohn Winchcomb (Iack of Newbery) 2

2

3

0.6

Deloney, T./Thomas of Reading

0

2

1

Dunton, J./A Voyage Round the World 15

15

10

0.4

Fidge, G./The English Gusman 1

1

0

0

Forde, E./Montelyon 8

8

10

0.56

Forde, E./Ornatus and Artesia 8

8

13

0.62

Gildon, C./The Post–boy rob'd of his Mail 3

3

16

0.84

Harrington, J./The Common–Wealth of Oceana 4

4

2

0.33

Hart, A./Alexto and Angelica 7

7

2

0.22

Head, R./The English Rogue

10

25

0.71

Healey, J./The Discovery of a New World 2

0

2

1

Herbert, Sir P./The Princess Cloria


22

1

Hind, J./Eliosto Libidinoso 17

17

3

0.15

Hind, J./Lysimachus and Varrona 3

3

4

0.57

Holland, S./Don Zara Del Fogo 2

2

2

0.5

Howell, J./Dodona's Grove

0

3

1

J. S./Clidamas 8

8

5

0.38

Johnson, J./The Academy of Love 2

2

0

0

Johnson, R./The seuen Champions of Christendome, Part 1 3

3

1

0.25

Johnson, R./Tom a Lincolne 2

2

1

0.33

Keach, B./The Progress of Sin 1

1

1

0.5

Kirkman, F./The Counterfeit Lady Unveiled

0

1

1

Kirkman, F./The Unlucky Citizen

0

5

1

Kittowe, R./Loues Load–starre

0

4

1

L'Estrange, Sir R./Five Love–Letters from a Nun to a Cavalier

0

6

1

Long, K./Barclay His Argenis 16

16

12

0.43

Mackenzie, G./Aretina 2

2

18

0.9

Manley, M. de la R./Letters

0

16

1

Markham, G./The English Arcadia

49

2

0.03

Oldys, A./The Female Gallant 1

1

8

0.89

Peele, G./Merrie Conceited Iests 1

1

0

0

Pix, M./The Inhumane Cardinal

0

15

1

Reynolds, J./The Flovver of Fidelitie 7

7

2

0.22

Reynolds, J./[The Triumphs of Gods Revenge]

133

29

0.18

Rivers, G./The Heroinæ 10

10

2

0.16

Roberts, H./Pheander The Mayden Knight 14

14

5

0.26

Sales, Sir W./Theophania 4

4

1

0.2

Sheppard, S./Amandus and Sophronia 3

3

0

0

Weamys, A./A Continuation of Sir Philip Sydney's Arcadia 5

5

3

0.38

Wilkins, G./Pericles Prince of Tyre 4

4

3

0.43

Wroth, Lady M./The Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania 35

35

40

0.53


Looking at both tables, the advantages of pooling and calculating the average of averages become quite clear: Both methods are quite easy to handle and the average of averages can balance the largest disadvantage of pooling: For example, Parthenissa by Robert Boyle contributes 23 hits for thine and 170 for yours. Using the pooling method, those 170 occurrences count towards the overall total of 737 and thus represent about a quarter of all occurrences counted. This problem can be handled by introducing a fixed quota, as Mannila, Nevalainen & Raumolin-Brunberg (2013: 341) suggest. This means that only a certain number of occurrences are used from the authors or works used. For Parthenissa this could mean that only a random sample of 50 occurrences of thine and yours are counted where the relative frequencies of the variants should be representative of the overall distribution in the entire work. Using a fixed quota, therefore, neglects parts of data collected. By using the average of averages, this problem can also be solved otherwise:

In the Parthenissa example, the individual frequency of yours will be higher than for other works, but this does not influence the frequency for the whole period more strongly than do other works. This can also be demonstrated with another example: The anonymous work Love’s Posie has no occurrences of thine but 29 of yours. The average for this work, however, is 1, which will be added to the other averages, while the relatively high number of 29 occurrences will play no role. All in all, this means that pooling can lead to unbalanced results, whereas calculating the average of averages can balance these, as the authors also point out (Mannila, Nevalainen and Raumolin-Brunberg 2013: 342).

Both methods, however, only result in point estimates. The variance of the individual averages cannot be measured. This can be improved by using the bootstrap technique.  

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