Metalinguistic judgments of phonotactics by monolinguals and bilinguals

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan A. Frisch ◽  
María R. Brea-Spahn
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Judgment Task ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Lexical Knowledge ◽  
Phonotactic Probability ◽  
English Bilingual ◽  
Low Probability ◽  
Vocabulary Assessment

AbstractThis paper demonstrates that a speaker's judgments of well-formedness for novel forms is based directly on their lexical knowledge by showing individual differences in performance in metalinguistic processing of novel words by 68 monolingual English speakers and 30 Spanish-English bilinguals. Monolingual participants were given a well-formedness judgment task and vocabulary assessment in English. Bilingual participants participated in well-formedness judgment tasks and vocabulary assessments in both English and Spanish. An influence of onset-rime phonotactic probability on well-formedness judgments was demonstrated, replicating and extending previous work to a bilingual population. For the bilinguals, there was no evidence of interference between the two languages in the well-formedness task. Individual differences in well-formedness judgments were examined by looking at relations between well-formedness judgments and vocabulary knowledge. Evidence supporting a connection between lexical knowledge and well-formedness task performance was found in the English data for both monolingual and bilingual participants, but this finding was not replicated in the Spanish data. Participants with a larger vocabulary in English were more accepting of low probability nonwords in English. It appears that those with greater vocabulary knowledge are more likely to have experienced improbable phonological constituents, and may also have a lower threshold for “unacceptable” nonwords, if their threshold is based on a likelihood estimate from their individual lexicon. The lack of a lexical effect for Spanish may reflect the lack of a comparable vocabulary test for Spanish. Overall, it appears that performance on well-formedness judgment tasks for nonwords is shown to be related to emergent generalizations based on the individual's linguistic experience with a language, as reflected in their lexical knowledge.

scholarly journals English Lexical Acquisition of Adult Learners in Instructional Settings: Issue on Lexical Input

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Azman Mokhtar ◽  
Rafizah Mohd Rawian ◽  
Paramjit Kaur a/p Karpal Singh
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Education System ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Tertiary Level ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Lexical Knowledge ◽  
Unsuccessful Attempt ◽  
Instructional Settings

<p>This study examined the receptive and productive English vocabulary knowledge of tertiary students. Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) consisted of three tests, namely Passive Vocabulary Test (PVT), Controlled Active Vocabulary Test (CAVT), and Free Active Vocabulary Test (FAVT) was used to collect the data. A total of 360 first-, second- and third-year university students were involved in the study. The findings revealed that majority of them had very limited lexical knowledge to use English as their second or foreign language, though formal exposures to English language had been given to them for at least 11 years before entering the tertiary level. In trying to unfold the unsuccessful attempt to enhance the students’ lexical competent through the present Malaysian education system, the issue of lexical input in terms of quantity and quality had been raised.</p>

FORMAL VERSUS INFORMAL L2 LEARNING

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Vanessa De Wilde ◽  
Marc Brysbaert ◽  
June Eyckmans
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Word Frequency ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
And Gender ◽  
French Words ◽  
Out Of School

Abstract A second language can be learned inside and outside the classroom. In this study we investigated the English and French vocabulary knowledge of 110 Dutch-speaking children (age 10–12), who received 100 hours of instruction in French, whereas their contact with English came from out-of-school exposure only. We examined the role of individual differences (out-of-school exposure and gender) and word-related variables (cognateness, frequency, and language). The children completed a receptive vocabulary test in English and French and filled in a questionnaire. The results showed that the children had a larger vocabulary knowledge in English than in French, illustrating the power of contextual language learning. Word learning was influenced by the amount of exposure, word frequency, and cognateness. Additionally, English words were easier to learn than French words for the participants we tested. Our results point to the need for out-of-school exposure to supplement language learning in the classroom.

scholarly journals The Building Blocks of Child Bilingual Code-Mixing: A Cross-Corpus Traceback Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antje Endesfelder Quick ◽  
Stefan Hartmann
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
The Other ◽  
Bilingual Children ◽  
Lexical Knowledge ◽  
Code Mixing ◽  
English Bilingual ◽  
Individual Input

This paper offers an inductive, exploratory study on the role of input and individual differences in the early code-mixing of bilingual children. Drawing on data from two German-English bilingual children, aged 2–4, we use the traceback method to check whether their code-mixed utterances can be accounted for with the help of constructional patterns that can be found in their monolingual data and/or in their caregivers' input. In addition, we apply the traceback method to check whether the patterns used by one child can also be found in the input of the other child. Results show that patterns found in the code-mixed utterances could be traced back to the input the children receive, suggesting that children extract lexical knowledge from their environment. Additionally, tracing back patterns within each child was more successful than tracing back to the other child's corpus, indicating that each child has their own set of patterns which depends very much on their individual input. As such, these findings can shed new light on the interplay of the two developing grammars in bilingual children and their individual differences.

scholarly journals Moving the field of vocabulary assessment forward: The need for more rigorous test development and validation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Schmitt ◽  
Paul Nation ◽  
B Kremmel
Keyword(s):  
Test Development ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Cambridge University ◽  
Minimum Requirements ◽  
Rigorous Test ◽  
Vocabulary Assessment ◽  
Development And Validation

Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019. Recently, a large number of vocabulary tests have been made available to language teachers, testers, and researchers. Unfortunately, most of them have been launched with inadequate validation evidence. The field of language testing has become increasingly more rigorous in the area of test validation, but developers of vocabulary tests have generally not given validation sufficient attention in the past. This paper argues for more rigorous and systematic procedures for test development, starting from a more precise specification of the test's purpose, intended testees and educational context, the particular aspects of vocabulary knowledge which are being measured, and the way in which the test scores should be interpreted. It also calls for greater assessment literacy among vocabulary test developers, and greater support for the end users of the tests, for instance, with the provision of detailed users' manuals. Overall, the authors present what they feel are the minimum requirements for vocabulary test development and validation. They argue that the field should self-police itself more rigorously to ensure that these requirements are met or exceeded, and made explicit for those using vocabulary tests.

scholarly journals Moving the field of vocabulary assessment forward: The need for more rigorous test development and validation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Schmitt ◽  
Paul Nation ◽  
B Kremmel
Keyword(s):  
Test Development ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Cambridge University ◽  
Minimum Requirements ◽  
Rigorous Test ◽  
Vocabulary Assessment ◽  
Development And Validation

Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019. Recently, a large number of vocabulary tests have been made available to language teachers, testers, and researchers. Unfortunately, most of them have been launched with inadequate validation evidence. The field of language testing has become increasingly more rigorous in the area of test validation, but developers of vocabulary tests have generally not given validation sufficient attention in the past. This paper argues for more rigorous and systematic procedures for test development, starting from a more precise specification of the test's purpose, intended testees and educational context, the particular aspects of vocabulary knowledge which are being measured, and the way in which the test scores should be interpreted. It also calls for greater assessment literacy among vocabulary test developers, and greater support for the end users of the tests, for instance, with the provision of detailed users' manuals. Overall, the authors present what they feel are the minimum requirements for vocabulary test development and validation. They argue that the field should self-police itself more rigorously to ensure that these requirements are met or exceeded, and made explicit for those using vocabulary tests.

scholarly journals Moving the field of vocabulary assessment forward: The need for more rigorous test development and validation

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norbert Schmitt ◽  
Paul Nation ◽  
Benjamin Kremmel
Keyword(s):  
Test Development ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
The Past ◽  
Minimum Requirements ◽  
Rigorous Test ◽  
Vocabulary Assessment ◽  
Development And Validation

AbstractRecently, a large number of vocabulary tests have been made available to language teachers, testers, and researchers. Unfortunately, most of them have been launched with inadequate validation evidence. The field of language testing has become increasingly more rigorous in the area of test validation, but developers of vocabulary tests have generally not given validation sufficient attention in the past. This paper argues for more rigorous and systematic procedures for test development, starting from a more precise specification of the test's purpose, intended testees and educational context, the particular aspects of vocabulary knowledge which are being measured, and the way in which the test scores should be interpreted. It also calls for greater assessment literacy among vocabulary test developers, and greater support for the end users of the tests, for instance, with the provision of detailed users' manuals. Overall, the authors present what they feel are the minimum requirements for vocabulary test development and validation. They argue that the field should self-police itself more rigorously to ensure that these requirements are met or exceeded, and made explicit for those using vocabulary tests.

scholarly journals ENGLISH LEXICAL ACQUISITION OF ADULT LEARNERS IN INSTRUCTIONAL SETTINGS: ISSUE ON LEXICAL INPUT

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Azman Mokhtar
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Education System ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Tertiary Level ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Lexical Knowledge ◽  
Unsuccessful Attempt ◽  
Instructional Settings

This study examined the receptive and productive English vocabulary knowledge of tertiary students. Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) consisted of three tests, namely Passive Vocabulary Test (PVT), Controlled Active Vocabulary Test (CAVT), and Free Active Vocabulary Test (FAVT) was used to collect the data. A total of 360 first-, second- and third-year university students were involved in the study. The findings revealed that majority of them had very limited lexical knowledge to use English as their second or foreign language, though formal exposures to English language had been given to them for at least 11 years before entering the tertiary level. In trying to unfold the unsuccessful attempt to enhance the students’ lexical competent through the present Malaysian education system, the issue of lexical input in terms of quantity and quality had been raised.

An Introductory Examination of Speech Disfluencies in Spanish–English Bilingual Children Who Do and Do Not Stutter During Narratives

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-141
Author(s):  
Cristina Rincon ◽  
Kia Noelle Johnson ◽  
Courtney Byrd
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Criteria ◽  
Preliminary Data ◽  
Diagnostic Information ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Bilingual Children ◽  
English Bilingual ◽  
Developmental Stuttering ◽  
Mean Length Of Utterance

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the frequency and type of speech disfluencies (stuttering-like and nonstuttering-like) in bilingual Spanish–English (SE) children who stutter (CWS) to SE children who do not stutter (CWNS) during narrative samples elicited in Spanish and English to provide further diagnostic information for this population and preliminary data toward an expansion of this study. Method Participants included six bilingual SE children (three CWS, three CWNS) ranging in age from 5 years to 7;5 (years;months) and recruited from the surrounding Houston, Texas area. Participants provided a narrative sample in English and Spanish. The frequency of speech disfluencies was tabulated, and mean length of utterance was measured for each sample. Results Results indicate that both talker groups exceed the diagnostic criteria typically used for developmental stuttering. Regardless of the language being spoken, CWS participants had a frequency of stuttering-like speech disfluencies that met or exceeded the diagnostic criteria for developmental stuttering that is based on monolingual English speakers. The CWNS participants varied in meeting the criteria depending on the language being spoken, with one of the three CWNS exceeding the criteria in both languages and one exceeding the criteria for percentage of stuttering-like speech disfluencies in one language. Conclusion Findings from this study contribute to the development of more appropriate diagnostic criteria for bilingual SE-speaking children to aid in the reduction of misdiagnoses of stuttering in this population.

Individual differences in lexical repetition priming: the combined influence of language, mood and working memory capacity.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolas Pautz ◽  
Kevin Durrheim
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Repetition Priming ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Primary Language ◽  
Affective States ◽  
Completion Task ◽  
Word Stem Completion

Individual differences in repetition priming is an often-overlooked area of research. The importance of this neglect becomes evident when considering the criticisms that priming research has received in the last decade concerning reliability. The current researched aimed to investigate whether individual differences in working memory capacity and affective states have differential effects on lexical-semantic repetition priming outcomes based on whether participants were first or second English speakers. Using logistic mixed-effects models to account for subject variation, the current paper investigated a three-way interaction between working memory capacity, negative affect score, and language on repetition priming outcomes. The results indicate that a statistically significant three-way interaction exists. We present an argument which posits that an individual’s primary language and subsequent familiarity with the primed concepts, in conjunction with individual differences in working memory capacity and mood, plays an important role in determining the most effective strategy used to complete a word-stem completion task.

Arousal and Cognition: Picture Vocabulary Performance and Individual Differences in Physiological Arousal

1980 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 579-582
Author(s):  
Frank H. Farley ◽  
Valerie J. Reynolds
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Physiological Arousal ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Significant Trend ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Disabled Children ◽  
Peabody Picture Vocabulary ◽  
Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test

The contribution of individual differences in physiological arousal to intellective assessment in learning disabled children was studied. Arousal was measured by salivary response and intellective function (receptive vocabulary) by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. It was predicted that best performance would be found at intermediate levels of arousal. Peabody scores of learning disabled subjects of high, middle, and low arousal showed a non-significant trend in the predicted direction. Reasons for the lack of significance of this hypothesized trend were proposed and needed research outlined.

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