Corpus Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition – the use of ACORN in the teaching of Spanish Grammar

2010 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guadalupe Ruiz Yepes ◽  
Ramesh Krishnamurthy

AbstractWith increasing demands for the use of authentic language in the teaching of a second language, the potential role of corpora has been an important issue of discussion in the last two decades. Corpora have helped to reveal patterns of real language use and uncovered discrepancies between the language portrayed in textbooks and the language used in real life.This article focuses on corpus-driven as well as corpus-based grammar teaching, summarising the experience of applying ACORN (the Aston Corpus Network) in the teaching of Spanish Grammar to students in the School of Languages and Social Sciences at Aston University. Our main goals were to show the students a large number of examples taken from authentic language texts, in order to support the grammar explained in class, and to provide them with a very useful resource that they can use while writing essays, preparing for exams, etc.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Selivan

This book is for anyone is interested in the relationship between grammar and vocabulary. The introduction looks at recent developments in corpus linguistics and second language acquisition research, and outlines the important role which chunks play in textual cohesion and in fluency, as well as in grammar acquisition. The practical part of the book provides practitioners with a large number of classroom suggestions and activities for making grammar teaching more lexical, and for making vocabulary practice more grammatical. Activities move from receptive to productive and can be used on their own or to supplement and enhance coursebook content.


Proglas ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandrina Raykova ◽  
◽  
◽  

Second language acquisition of grammatical evidentiality in Bulgarian is studied through analyzing the spoken language use of a number of native English speakers. The category is found unstable at the higher levels of language proficiency, which indicates incomplete acquisition. There are cases of probable full acquisition which the current analysis cannot confirm. Suggestions regarding the role of the linguistic worldview are put forward.


2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 324-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
FABRIZIO DE CARLI ◽  
BARBARA DESSI ◽  
MANUELA MARIANI ◽  
NICOLA GIRTLER ◽  
ALBERTO GRECO ◽  
...  

The role of age of acquisition (AoA) in reaching native-like proficiency in second language is controversial. The existence of a critical period and the effect of AoA have been questioned by studies testing lexical and/or morphosyntactic skills, and by functional brain exploration. The aim of this study was to verify the effect of AoA and language practice on proficiency in a bilingual pragmatic task and its relationship with cognitive skills. The study involved a group of Italian–Spanish bilinguals, classified according to their AoA and language use. All participants performed a pragmatic bilingual test and a battery of cognitive tests. A multivariate analysis showed significant effects of language use and cognitive skills and a non-significant effect of AoA. These results indicate that continued language practice is a major factor influencing high bilingual proficiency, irrespective of AoA, suggesting that proficiency may be weakened when bilingual experience becomes occasional or ceases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 74-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony McEnery ◽  
Vaclav Brezina ◽  
Dana Gablasova ◽  
Jayanti Banerjee

AbstractIn this article we explore the relationship between learner corpus and second language acquisition research. We begin by considering the origins of learner corpus research, noting its roots in smaller scale studies of learner language. This development of learner corpus studies is considered in the broader context of the development of corpus linguistics. We then consider the aspirations that learner corpus researchers have had to engage with second language acquisition research and explore why, to date, the interaction between the two fields has been minimal. By exploring some of the corpus building practices of learner corpus research, and the theoretical goals of second language acquisition studies, we identify reasons for this lack of interaction and make proposals for how this situation could be fruitfully addressed.


1990 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia White

In this article, the motivation for Universal Grammar (UG), as assumed in the principles and parameters framework of generative grammar (Chomsky, 1981a, 1981b), is discussed, particular attention being paid to thelogical problemof first language acquisition. The potential role of UG in second language (L2) acquisition is then considered. Three different positions are reviewed: (a) the claim that UG is not available to L2 learners; (b) the claim that UG is fully available; and (c) the claim that the L2 learner's access to UG is mediated by the mother tongue. This raises the issue of what kind of evidence can be used to decide between these three positions. Recent experimental research which argues for one or another of these positions by investigating the L2 status of the Subjacency Principle is reviewed, and the implications of this research are discussed.


2002 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeo Tanaka

Grammar instruction usually consists of explanation, feedback, and practice. Recent studies (e.g., Dekeyser & Sokalski, 1996; Ellis, 1993, 1995; VanPatten & Cadierno, 1993) focus on the relative effectiveness of comprehension and production practice in grammar instruction yet tend to treat the two forms of practice as mutually exclusive. Previous studies on input and output processing in second language acquisition, however, indicate that comprehension and production practice each play unique roles in the development of knowledge, promoting accurate and fluent language use. Suggesting that the two forms of practice can be complementary, this study examines the effects of combining comprehension and production practice in grammar instruction and considers the role of practice in second language acquisition.


2007 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-265
Author(s):  
István Fekete ◽  
Mária Gósy ◽  
Rozália Eszter Ivády ◽  
Péter Kardos

DianePecherés RolfA. Zwaan(szerk.): Grounding cognition: The role of perception and action in memory, language, and thinking (Fekete István)     253 CsépeValéria: Az olvasó agy (Gósy Mária) 256 Kormos, Judit: Speech production and second language acquisition (Ivády Rozália Eszter)      260 MarosánGyörgy: Hogyan készül a történelem? (Kardos Péter) 263


2008 ◽  
Vol 155 ◽  
pp. 95-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa McGarry

AbstractThe increasing recognition of the concept language ideology and the corresponding increasing use of the term have not yet been matched by applications in the field of second language acquisition. However, applications of the concept in analysis of actual classroom practices have shown it to have considerable explanatory power. Greater consideration of language ideology in SLA is necessary not only to achieve greater understanding of the role of ideology in various areas but also to show connections between these areas that may yield important generalizations and to impel the application of the concept in areas where it has been neglected by highlighting its uneven treatment.


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