The development of formulaic sequences in first and second language writing

International Journal of Corpus Linguistics ◽

10.1075/ijcl.18.1.07odo ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 83-108 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Matthew Brook O'Donnell ◽

Ute Römer ◽

Nick C. Ellis

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Second Language Acquisition ◽

Language Acquisition ◽

Second Language Writing ◽

Formulaic Sequences ◽

Language Background ◽

Corpus Design ◽

Language Writing ◽

N Gram ◽

Design And Methods

Formulaic sequences are recognised as having important roles in language acquisition, processing, fluency, idiomaticity, and instruction. But there is little agreement over their definition and measurement, or on methods of corpus comparison. We argue that replicable research must be grounded upon operational definitions in statistical terms. We adopt an experimental design and apply four different corpus-analytic measures, variously based upon n-gram frequency (Frequency-grams), association (MI-grams), phrase-frames (P-frames), and native norm (items in the Academic Formulas List – AFL-grams), to samples of first and second language writing in order to examine and compare knowledge of formulas in first and second language acquisition as a function of proficiency and language background. We find that these different operationalizations produce different patterns of effect of expertise and L1/L2 status. We consider the implications for corpus design and methods of analysis.

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Emergence in second language writing: a methodological inroad

Revista Brasileira de Linguística Aplicada ◽

10.1590/s1984-63982013000200007 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 493-515 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Susy Macqueen

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Second Language Writing ◽

Theoretical Orientation ◽

Research Process ◽

Formulaic Sequences ◽

Fully Integrated ◽

Complex Process ◽

Language Writing ◽

Entrance Test ◽

The University

Complex Systems Theory (CST) has been called upon in many different fields as a means of examining phenomena in a way that makes interconnectivity and emergence central to research. For applied linguistics, CST offers the possibility of encompassing both language and learning. In doing so, the theoretical orientation needs to be fully integrated into the research process through research methodology. This paper describes a qualitative microethnographic method, Lexical Trail Analysis, which draws on the concept of emergence. It is an analytic method that enables us to see the longitudinal development of words and their patterns. It is applied here in a case study of the development of one second language user's lexicogrammatical patterns (formulaic sequences, collocations, idioms, etc.). Her word patterns are traced as she prepares for a university entrance test and later, once she enters the university. Her use of patterns involves adaptive imitation, a complex process of perceiving, imitating and adapting patterns to suit new communicative goals.

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