On L2 English Learners’ Formulaic Language Use and Spoken English Fluency

2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 543-562
Author(s):  
Junlei Xuan ◽  
Huifang Yang ◽  
Jaewoo Shim
Keyword(s):  
English Learners ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Speech Rate ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Linguistic Variables ◽  
Formulaic Language ◽  
Formulaic Sequences ◽  
Lexical Bundles ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
English Fluency

Abstract This study explored the distribution of three types of English formulaic language, which involves four categories in L1 Chinese L2 English learners’ speaking performance. In addition, it investigated the relationship between the English learners’ use of formulaic language and their spoken English fluency. A CCA (canonical correlation analysis) was conducted to examine the correlations between two sets of fluency variables (dependent variables) and linguistic variables of English formulaic language use (independent variables). The fluency variable set consists of: (1) temporal indices such as SR (speech rate), AR (articulation rate), MLR (mean length of run), and PTR (phonation time ratio); (2) linguistic variables of English formulaic language like F2R (two-word formulaic sequences/run ratio, B3R (three-word lexical bundles/run ratio), and B4R (four-word lexical bundles/run ratio). These are calculated according to the frequency of the English formulaic language in the speech samples of the participants (n = 86) across three academic levels. The results indicate that the learners’ spoken English fluency is highly related to their use of English formulaic language. Its limitations and future research directions are also discussed.

scholarly journals Formulaic sequences signalling discourse organisation in ELF academic lectures: a disciplinary perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Wang
Keyword(s):  
Natural Language ◽  
Language Use ◽  
The Other ◽  
Formulaic Language ◽  
Formulaic Sequences ◽  
Disciplinary Perspective ◽  
Academic Lectures ◽  
Operational Criteria ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Socially Situated

Abstract Formulaic sequences (e.g. on the other hand, for example, at the same time) are pervasive in natural language use and play an important role in differentiating socially situated practices. This paper examines formulaic sequences signalling discourse organisation in academic ELF lectures from a disciplinary perspective. Most previous studies of this kind employ a frequency-based approach; however, the inherent limitations of the methodology (e.g. arbitrary operational criteria, difficulty in handling discontinuous units) mean that a great deal may have been overlooked. This may be particularly relevant to ELF communication, which involves a high degree of flexibility and adaptability. The present study aims to address this gap by taking a manual approach in the identification of formulaic sequences, continuous or discontinuous, in context. The results provide further evidence for disciplinary differences and variability in the use of formulaic language to signal discourse organisation by lecturers in academic ELF settings.

Formulaic Language in Learner Corpora

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 130-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magali Paquot ◽  
Sylviane Granger
Keyword(s):  
First Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Formulaic Language ◽  
Formulaic Sequences ◽  
Learner Corpus ◽  
Corpus Linguistic ◽  
Learner Corpora ◽  
Linguistic Research ◽  
Multiword Units ◽  
The Relationship

Formulaic language is at the heart of corpus linguistic research, and learner corpus research (LCR) is no exception. As multiword units of all kinds (e.g., collocations, phrasal verbs, speech formulae) are notoriously difficult for learners, and corpus linguistic techniques are an extremely powerful way of exploring them, they were an obvious area for investigation by researchers from the very early days of LCR. In the first part of this article, the focus is on the types of learner corpus data investigated and the most popular method used to analyze them. The second section describes the types of word sequences analyzed in learner corpora and the methodologies used to extract them. In the rest of the article, we summarize some of the main findings of LCR studies of the learner phrasicon, distinguishing between co-occurrence and recurrence. Particular emphasis is also placed on the relationship between learners’ use of formulaic sequences and transfer from the learner's first language. The article concludes with some proposals for future research in the field.

scholarly journals The Processing of Formulaic Language

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 45-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy Conklin ◽  
Norbert Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Nonnative Speakers ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Formulaic Language ◽  
Formulaic Sequences ◽  
Lexical Bundles ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Word Selection ◽  
The Brain

It is generally accepted that we store representations of individual words in our mental lexicon. There is growing agreement that the lexicon also contains formulaic language (How are you? kick the bucket). In fact, there are compelling reasons to think that the brain represents formulaic sequences in long-term memory, bypassing the need to compose them online through word selection and grammatical sequencing in capacity-limited working memory. The research surveyed in this chapter strongly supports the position that there is an advantage in the way that native speakers process formulaic language compared to nonformulaic language. This advantage extends to the access and use of different types of formulaic language, including idioms, binomials, collocations, and lexical bundles. However, the evidence is mixed for nonnative speakers. While very proficient nonnatives sometimes exhibit processing advantages similar to natives, less proficient learners often have been shown to process formulaic language in a word-by-word manner similar to nonformulaic language. Furthermore, if the formulaic language is idiomatic (where the meaning cannot be understood from the component words), the figurative meanings can be much more difficult to process for nonnatives than nonidiomatic, nonformulaic language.

Uptake in incidental focus-on-form episodes concerning formulaic language in advanced adult EFL classes

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-219
Author(s):  
Leila Gholami ◽  
Javad Gholami
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Substantial Proportion ◽  
Formulaic Language ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Focus On Form ◽  
Formulaic Sequences ◽  
Lexical Bundles ◽  
Second Language Development ◽  
Natural Discourse

An extensive number of studies have examined the effectiveness of incidental focus on form (FonF) measured through uptake in primarily communicative activities and established an association between learners’ uptake of linguistic features and their subsequent second language development. In this strand of research, the analysis of linguistic forms has been constrained to grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and spelling. However, as self-contained units of meaning, formulaic sequences (FSs), comprising collocations, lexical bundles, idioms, compounds, etc., have not yet been the object of FonF research. Inspired by the fact that a substantial proportion of natural discourse consists of FSs, the present study investigated the degree to which incidental focus-on-form episodes (FFEs) with formulaic vis-à-vis other linguistic foci occur, and the extent to which they result in (successful) uptake in English as a foreign language (EFL) classes. The data consisted of 36 hours of audio-recorded communicative classroom interactions from three advanced EFL classes. The findings revealed that, though not as frequently as other linguistic elements, learners and teachers regularly draw their attention to FSs. FFEs with formulaic focus, in general, and collocations, in particular, led to more uptake than those with other linguistic foci. Finally, among types of incidental FonF, the highest rate of (successful) uptake was observed in student-initiated FFEs with formulaic focus.

scholarly journals Formulaic Sequences as Fluency Devices in the Oral Production of Native Speakers of Polish

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewa Guz
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Speech Rate ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Formulaic Language ◽  
Formulaic Sequences ◽  
Oral Production ◽  
Time Ratio ◽  
Temporal Measures ◽  
The Relationship

In this paper we attempt to determine the nature and strength of the relationship between the use of formulaic sequences and productive fluency of native speakers of Polish. In particular, we seek to validate the claim that speech characterized by a higher incidence of formulaic sequences is produced more rapidly and with fewer hesitation phenomena. The analysis is based on monologic speeches delivered by 45 speakers of L1 Polish. The data include both the recordings and their transcriptions annotated for a number of objective fluency measures. In the first part of the study the total of formulaic sequences is established for each sample. This is followed by determining a set of temporal measures of the speakers' output (speech rate, articulation rate, mean length of runs, mean length of pauses, phonation time ratio). The study provides some preliminary evidence of the fluency-enhancing role of formulaic language. Our results show that the use of formulaic sequences is positively and significantly correlated with speech rate, mean length of runs and phonation time ratio. This suggests that a higher concentration of formulaic material in output is associated with faster speed of speech, longer stretches of speech between pauses and an increased amount of time filled with speech.

Lexical bundles from one century to the next

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-185
Author(s):  
Rachel Allan
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Spoken Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Formulaic Language ◽  
Historical Sources ◽  
Corpus Study ◽  
Lexical Bundles ◽  
Historical Texts ◽  
Self Study

Abstract This corpus study compares lexical bundles found in the language input of a selection of historical and current English language teaching materials to see what insights they can give into changes in spoken language use. English teaching texts published between 1905 and 1917 were used to construct a historical corpus, and a collection of English language self-study texts published between 2004 and 2014 were used for comparison. Both groups of texts focused on spoken language. The most frequent three-word lexical bundles extracted from each corpus varied considerably. The contemporary texts showed both a greater use of formulaic language and more syntactic complexity within it, while the historical texts relied on simpler structures. An exploratory analysis of the lexical bundles in the historical texts suggests, however, that viewed in conjunction with other historical sources, they can assist in building a picture of spoken language use of the period.

scholarly journals Formulaic language is not all the same: comparing the frequency of idiomatic phrases, collocations, lexical bundles, and phrasal verbs

2016 ◽  
pp. 28-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Vilkaitė
Keyword(s):  
Frequency Distribution ◽  
Substantial Effect ◽  
Frequency Of Occurrence ◽  
Prose Fiction ◽  
Formulaic Language ◽  
Formulaic Sequences ◽  
Phrasal Verbs ◽  
Lexical Bundles ◽  
The Relationship

Formulaic language is widely acknowledged to be a central part of a language. However, it is heterogeneous in nature, made up of various formulaic categories with their own characteristics and behaviour. A first step towards systematically describing the relationship between these categories is to describe their distribution in language. This study investigated the frequency of occurrence of four categories of formulaic sequences: collocations, phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases, and lexical bundles. Together the four categories made up about 41% of English, with lexical bundles being by far the most common, followed by collocations, idiomatic phrases and phrasal verbs. There were differences in the frequencies of each category in the overall corpus, and also in the four registers analysed (academic prose, fiction, newspaper language, and spoken conversation). Language mode (spoken/written) had a substantial effect on the frequency distribution of the categories as well.

scholarly journals A Study of Interactions among Ambiguity Tolerance, Classroom Work Styles, and English Proficiency

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui-Hua Chiang
Keyword(s):  
English Learners ◽  
Technical College ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ambiguity Tolerance ◽  
Tolerance For Ambiguity ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Study Population ◽  
The Relationship

<p>This article presents a preliminary investigation of the inter-relationships between English learners’ tolerance for ambiguity, their classroom work styles, and their level of English proficiency. The study population comprised 46 English as a foreign language (EFL) students attending a technical college in Taiwan. The findings indicated that a large percentage of these students had moderate to high levels of tolerance for ambiguity. In contrast to the findings of previous studies, our results showed no significant relationship between ambiguity tolerance and classroom work styles. The relationship between ambiguity tolerance and English proficiency in terms of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) scores was almost statistically significant. However, tolerance for ambiguity and classroom work styles showed a statistically significant association with English proficiency. Recommended extensions of the study are discussed, and general directions for future research are suggested. Teaching implementations are also proposed.<strong></strong></p>

Social Differentiation in the Use of English Vocabulary

1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Rayson ◽  
Geoffrey N. Leech ◽  
Mary Hodges
Keyword(s):  
Social Group ◽  
Geographical Region ◽  
Social Differentiation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
Transcription System ◽  
Group A ◽  
British National Corpus ◽  
National Corpus

In this article, we undertake selective quantitative analyses of the demographi-cally-sampled spoken English component of the British National Corpus (for brevity, referred to here as the ''Conversational Corpus"). This is a subcorpus of c. 4.5 million words, in which speakers and respondents (see I below) are identified by such factors as gender, age, social group, and geographical region. Using a corpus analysis tool developed at Lancaster, we undertake a comparison of the vocabulary of speakers, highlighting those differences which are marked by a very high X2 value of difference between different sectors of the corpus according to gender, age, and social group. A fourth variable, that of geographical region of the United Kingdom, is not investigated in this article, although it remains a promising subject for future research. (As background we also briefly examine differences between spoken and written material in the British National Corpus [BNC].) This study is illustrative of the potentiality of the Conversational Corpus for future corpus-based research on social differentiation in the use of language. There are evident limitations, including (a) the reliance on vocabulary frequency lists and (b) the simplicity of the transcription system employed for the spoken part of the BNC The conclusion of the article considers future advances in the research paradigm illustrated here.

scholarly journals Representations of Gender-Diverse Characters in Adventure Time and Steven Universe

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Abigail S. Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Children's Television ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Gender Representations ◽  
Television Shows ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
The Social ◽  
Gender Neutral ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Television Representation

Television is a strong educational and socializing agent for children. Watching television can teach children appropriate language and vocabulary to use, as well as the social norms about gender behaviors or activities. Previous research on gender representations in children’s television has been limited to studying male and female characters because children’s programming has historically presented audiences with cisgender characters (e.g., boy and girls). Recently, television shows aimed at children have provided audiences with nonbinary and gender-diverse characters. This study is the first exploratory content analysis, to my knowledge, to examine the portrayal and representation of nonbinary and gender-diverse characters in children’s television. The current study examined the gender-neutral pronoun and gendered language use toward nonbinary and gender-diverse characters, as well as the portrayal of these characters as leaders, and with special skills in Adventure Time and Steven Universe. Overall, nonbinary and gender-diverse characters were portrayed as strong, positive, characters, and were represented similarly to their cisgender counterparts. This represents a promising shift toward more inclusive and equitable television representation, which may lead to the acceptance and appropriate use of gender-neutral pronouns toward peers by cisgender children, and the feeling of visibility and validation by nonbinary children. Future research should examine the impacts of these characters on viewers. RELEVANCE STATEMENT: As children’s television becomes more diverse it has the potential to positively impact the lives of cisgender (e.g., boys and girls) and nonbinary children. Because television has the potential to influence young children, gender-diverse representations in children’s television may lead to children developing more accepting attitudes and behaviors toward nonbinary peers.

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