scholarly journals Measuring Syntactic Complexity in Spoken and Written Learner Language: Comparing the Incomparable?

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 377-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pekka Lintunen ◽  
Mari Mäkilä
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Spoken Language ◽  
Written Language ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Syntactic Complexity ◽  
Skill Levels ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Learner Language

Spoken and written language are two modes of language. When learners aim at higher skill levels, the expected outcome of successful second language learning is usually to become a fluent speaker and writer who can produce accurate and complex language in the target language. There is an axiomatic difference between speech and writing, but together they form the essential parts of learners’ L2 skills. The two modes have their own characteristics, and there are differences between native and nonnative language use. For instance, hesitations and pauses are not visible in the end result of the writing process, but they are characteristic of nonnative spoken language use. The present study is based on the analysis of L2 English spoken and written productions of 18 L1 Finnish learners with focus on syntactic complexity. As earlier spoken language segmentation units mostly come from fluency studies, we conducted an experiment with a new unit, the U-unit, and examined how using this unit as the basis of spoken language segmentation affects the results. According to the analysis, written language was more complex than spoken language. However, the difference in the level of complexity was greatest when the traditional units, T-units and AS-units, were used in segmenting the data. Using the U-unit revealed that spoken language may, in fact, be closer to written language in its syntactic complexity than earlier studies had suggested. Therefore, further research is needed to discover whether the differences in spoken and written learner language are primarily due to the nature of these modes or, rather, to the units and measures used in the analysis.

scholarly journals TASK-BASED LEARNING IN ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (EFL) CLASSROOM: WHAT, HOW AND WHY?

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-146
Author(s):  
Muhammad Badrus Sholeh ◽  
Kisman Salija ◽  
Sahril Nur
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Communicative Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Real Language ◽  
English Classroom ◽  
Authentic Language

Task-based Learning is increasingly prevalent worldwide. It emphasizes on authentic language use and asks students to perform meaningful tasks. English teaching by tasks is considered useful in a language classroom because the students are expected to learn better the target language when tasks are used in language teaching. The tasks are designed to establish a real language use objectives and to create a natural language acquisition setting. Task-based Learning, often considered being the powerful Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) version, gradually becoming second-language learning. This article describes the Task-based Learning definition, to recognize the principles and characteristics of Task-based Learning, to examine how to implement Task-based Learning in the English classroom, and to clarify the advantages of this approach.

scholarly journals THE SYNTACTIC FEATURES OF PROMOTIONAL LANGUAGE IN BOOK BLURBS

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (48) ◽  
pp. 117-131
Author(s):  
Milica Bacic
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Spoken Language ◽  
Written Language ◽  
Syntactic Complexity ◽  
Formulaic Language ◽  
Syntactic Features ◽  
Form Function ◽  
Text Length ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
And Linguistics

The paper presents a comparative analysis of the syntactic level of promotional language in fiction and academic book blurbs. The overall research objective was to identify salient syntactic features and investigate the similarities and differences in the realization of this text-in-ternal aspect of thriller, romance, and linguistics blurbs in English. The analysis shows that their formulaic language exhibits genre-specific patterns and form-function correlations in its syntactic complexity. In order to provide a positive description of a book, blurb writers regularly employ structural parallelism, ellipsis, complex phrases with multiple modification, phrasal and clausal embedding, coordination, and other means of structural reduction. However, individual instantiations also display systematic variability in text-length values and frequency of salient features, with fiction blurbs mainly replicating the conciseness of spoken language and academic blurbs closely resembling formal written language. We conclude that the generic integrity of these texts involves a degree of controlled flexibility at the syntactic level depending on the book type/genre as the defining variable. Additionally, the research confirms that the study of linguistic profiles of genres is funda- mentally important for the study of language use, both from a theoretical and applied perspective. The increasing ‘generification’ of contemporary language, and particularly English as the global lingua franca, requires the adoption of a multidimensional genre-based framework in investigating the complex linguistic realities of the 21st century.

scholarly journals SOSIALISASI DAN PENGAJARAN TENTANG PENGGUNAAN BAHASA INDONESIA YANG BAIK DAN BENAR BERDASARKAN ETIKA KESANTUNAN BERBAHASA PADA ANAK DIDIK DI YAYASAN TANAH BINTANG DESA KERANDANGAN KECAMATAN BATU LAYAR LOMBOK BARAT

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 674
Author(s):  
Ahyati Kurniamala Niswariyana ◽  
Titin Untari ◽  
Supratman Supratman ◽  
Linda Ayu Darmurtika ◽  
Arpan Islami Bilal
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Spoken Language ◽  
Written Language ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Classroom Activity ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Bahasa Indonesia

ABSTRAKPara siswa yang belajar di Yayasan Tanah Bintang merupakan siswa yang ingin belajar ekstra. Siswa-siswa tersebut pagi hari belajar di sekolah formal, sore hari belajar bahasa asing dan kerajinan tangan di yayasan. Untuk pembelajaran bahasa, bahasa Indonesia digunakan sebagai bahasa pengantar sebab guru dan siswa adalah penutur bahasa Indonesia sekaligus pembelajar bahasa asing. Pada saat berinteraksi di kelas, para siswa menggunakan bahasa Indonesia nonformal, jauh dari kata benar. Pelaksanaan pengabdian ini memiliki tujuan agar para siswa dapat mengenal bahasanya sendiri  sebelum mempelajari bahasa asing, hal ini juga akan berdampak pada pengenalan bahasa Indonesia yang baik dan benar pada warga asing yang tengah belajar bahasa Indonesia. Sehingga bahasa Indonesia yang digunakan tidak merujuk pada bahasa kontemporer atau bahasa gaul, akan tetapi mengacu pada kaidah bahasa Indonesia yang baik dan benar, yakni bahasa lisan yang dapat dipahami lawan bicara serta tidak menyinggung yang sesuai dengan etika berbahasa, dan bahasa tulis yang memiliki acuan jelas yakni PUEBI dan KBBI. Kegiatan pengabdian yang berlangsung selama 4 kali pertemuan ini dinilai berhasil, peserta mengalami kemajuan dari pengetahuan tentang bahasa yang baik dan benar. Hasil akhir yang tampak adalah bahwa peserta mulai memahami perbedaan Bahasa yang baik dan Bahasa yang benar, serta penempatannya dalam berkomunikasi dan menulis. Kata kunci: pembelajaran; bahasa indonesia; baik dan benar ABSTRACTThe students of Tanah Bintang Fondation are those who want to have extra learning. Beside studying formally at school, they also learn about foreign language and handicrafts at the foundation. In language learning, Indonesian Language is used as an instruction since teachers and students are the native speakers while studying foreign language. During classroom activity, students usually use non-formal Indonesian which is unstandardized. That is the reason of this devotion, in order to help students to comprehend and understand their Indonesian firstly before learning other foreign languages. It is also aimed at impacting foreigners vice versa to learn Indonesian correctly as standardized. Therefore, the use of Indonesian will refer to Official Indonesian Spelling System rather than slang and contemporary language. The use in spoken language must be understood by interlocutors and should not offend the language etiquette . Other, in written language must be based on PUEBI and KBBI references. The four times meeting devotional has successful to take place due to the enhanced knowledge about the use of correct language itself. The result is participants now has been able to differentiate between standard and unstandard language use both in speaking and writing. Keywords: learning; Indonesian language; good and right

scholarly journals First additional language teaching in the foundation phase of schools in disadvantaged areas

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Lenyai
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
South African ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Literacy Training ◽  
English Literacy ◽  
Language For Learning

Second language learning in South African schools is of supreme importance given the multilingual nature of the country. However, there is no certainty that teachers in the foundation phase of schools in poor environments have the skills to teach literacy in the first additional language and produce competent learners. This investigation revealed that the methods that teachers used to teach English, as the first additional language did not develop children’s comprehension and communication skills. It argues that if teachers do not use methods that encourage children to communicate in English the children might not acquire the competence needed to use English as the language for learning in Grade 4. Policy makers are advised to monitor the implementation of the first additional language policy and to oversee the development of an English literacy-training programme in the foundation phase that could provide teachers with the necessary skills and appropriate approaches for teaching the target language.

scholarly journals Cross-cultural Training and Second Language Learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Zhonghao Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
Cross Cultural Training ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
Culture Teaching ◽  
Culture And Language

Culture and language are inseparable, and cultures as groups adopt particular practices and norms of behavior. Culture teaching is a long and complex process concerning something more than language use itself. The two popular theories influencing practice today are the Constructivist and the Creative Constructionist approaches, and the technique for conveying cultural awareness is cultural assimilator, which has been designed for specific cultures around the world. Cross-cultural training can be used to promote cultural awareness, that is, sensitize people to the influence of culture on people’s values and behaviors and help them recognize and accept the existence of cultural differences.

scholarly journals Why should a Business English Teacher be a Constructivist Teacher?

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 ◽  
pp. 87-92
Author(s):  
Joanna Lempart
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
English For Specific Purposes ◽  
English Teacher ◽  
Constructivist Approach ◽  
Business English ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Teaching Business ◽  
The Difference

The article provides some considerations related to the issue of learning and teaching Business English in Poland. It explains the difference between Business English, General English and English for Specific Purposes. The main aim of it is to present the characteristics of the Constructivist Business English Teachers. In order to this the constructivist approach to second language learning and teaching is briefly presented and a few. valuable suggestions are provided on how to it can be employed in Business English teaching.

scholarly journals Applying Measurement of Situational Self-Determination Theory to Use of a Self-Access Centre at a Japanese University

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Graham G. Robson ◽  
Darrell J. Hardy
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Learner Motivation ◽  
Japanese University ◽  
Self Study

One way to promote autonomy in the second language can be through the use of Self-access Centres (SACs). These are spaces for students to engage in activities such as self-study or communication with other learners, or native-speakers of the target language. However, merely having these spaces available does not guarantee that students will use the facility effectively, or even attend at all, so a degree of learner motivation linked with visiting the SAC would be necessary. Deci and Ryan’s (1985) Self-Determination Theory (SDT) has been used as the base for numerous studies in second language learning, including those in Japan. Proponents claim SDT is both universal and can be measured on different levels, which are global, situational and state. The authors sought to validate a measure of four subscales of SDT (Intrinsic Motivation, Identified Regulation, Introjected Regulation and External Regulation) written for this study at the situational level among undergraduates using an SAC at a Japanese University (n = 83). The rationale for items at this level comes from the field of psychology (Vallerand & Ratelle, 2002) and a study of second language constructs (Robson, 2016). A factor analysis confirmed four reliable factors, as hypothesized. Further, simplex correlations between the subconstructs somewhat confirms the underlying continuum posited by SDT researchers. These results may lead to a body of work that validates SDT theory in second language learning.

Second language learning of phonological alternations with and without orthographic input: Evidence from the acquisition of a German-like voicing alternation

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 517-545
Author(s):  
Shannon L. Barrios ◽  
Rachel Hayes-Harb
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Phonological Processes ◽  
New Words ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Naming Test

AbstractWhile a growing body of research investigates the influence of orthographic input on the acquisition of second language (L2) segmental contrasts, few studies have examined its influence on the acquisition of L2 phonological processes. Hayes-Harb, Brown, and Smith (2018) showed that exposure to words’ written forms caused native English speakers to misremember the voicing of final obstruents in German-like words exemplifying voicing neutralization. However, they did not examine participants’ acquisition of the final devoicing process. To address this gap, we conducted two experiments wherein native English speakers (assigned to Orthography or No Orthography groups) learned German-like words in suffixed and unsuffixed forms, and later completed a picture naming test. Experiment 1 investigated learners’ knowledge of the surface voicing of obstruents in both final and nonfinal position, and revealed that while all participants produced underlyingly voiced obstruents as voiceless more often in final than nonfinal position, the difference was only significant for No Orthography participants. Experiment 2 investigated participants’ ability to apply the devoicing process to new words, and provided no evidence of generalization. Together these findings shed light on the acquisition of final devoicing by naïve adult learners, as well as the influence of orthographic input in the acquisition of a phonological alternation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document