scholarly journals A Corpus-Based Comparative Study of Malaysian ESL Learners and Native English Speakers in Compliment Patterns

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 232
Author(s):  
Paramasivam Muthusamy ◽  
Atieh Farashaiyan
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Corpus Linguistics ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Esl Students ◽  
Authentic Language ◽  
Learner Language ◽  
Esl Learners

Even though many language learners are concerned with to master target proficiency, owing to years of meticulous studies, immersion in TL environments, access to multimedia and educational amenities, in addition to availability of affluent sources or merely thanks to God-given language talents, many will seldom take off from conspicuous learner-language and might never produce authentic language either in speech or in writing. In recent years, however, with corpus linguistics gaining currency in academia, a new light has begun to glimmer at the end of the tunnel that corpus-based materials and data-driven language instructions can actively and consciously engage learners and acquaint them with what authentic language is rather than what the text books prescribe it to be. Already, a growing body of research has been dedicated to data-driven learning across the world to survey the effectiveness of incorporating corpora in ELT. As such, the purpose of this research is to investigate the patterns of compliments in writings of the Malay ESL students and compare the findings with native English speakers.  The results showed that the Malay ESL learners used a rather different number of syntactic patterns compared to the English native speakers and their frequency of patterns outgrew those of the natives.

Priming and adaptation in native speakers and second-language learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
EDITH KAAN ◽  
EUNJIN CHUN
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Prepositional Phrase ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Double Object ◽  
Processing Strategies ◽  
L2 Learners

Native speakers show rapid adjustment of their processing strategies and preferences on the basis of the structures they have recently encountered. The present study investigated the nature of priming and adaptation in second-language (L2) speakers and, more specifically, whether similar mechanisms underlie L2 and native language adaptation. Native English speakers and Korean L2 learners of English completed a written priming study probing the use of double object and prepositional phrase datives. Both groups showed cumulative adaptation effects for both types of dative, which was stronger for the structure that was initially less frequent to them (prepositional phrase datives for the native English speakers, and double object datives for the L2 learners). This supports models of priming that incorporate frequency-based modulation of long-lasting activation of structures. L2 learners and native speakers use similar processing mechanisms; differences in adaptation can be accounted for by differences in the relative frequency of structures.

ESL learners’ intra-speaker variability in producing American English tense and lax vowels

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce L. Smith ◽  
Eric Johnson ◽  
Rachel Hayes-Harb
Keyword(s):  
English Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
American English ◽  
Nonnative Speakers ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Speaker Variability ◽  
Production Variability ◽  
Vowel Formants ◽  
Esl Learners

Abstract Nonnative (L2) English learners are often assumed to exhibit greater speech production variability than native (L1) speakers; however, support for this assumption is primarily limited to secondary observations rather than having been the specific focus of empirical investigations. The present study examined intra-speaker variability associated with L2 English learners’ tense and lax vowel productions to determine whether they showed comparable or greater intra-speaker variability than native English speakers. First and second formants of three tense/lax vowel pairs were measured, and Coefficient of Variation was calculated for 10 native speakers of American English and 30 nonnative speakers. The L2 speakers’ vowel formants were found to be native-like approximately half of the time. Whether their formants were native-like or not, however, they seldom showed greater intra-speaker variability than the L1 speakers.

L2 vs. L1 Use of Synonymy: An Empirical Study of Synonym Use/Acquisition

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilin Liu ◽  
Shouman Zhong
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Corpus Data ◽  
L1 Use ◽  
Esl Learners

Abstract Synonymy is important but difficult for language learners to grasp. Using a forced-choice question instrument, along with corpus data as reference, this study examines the use of four sets of synonyms by intermediate/advanced Chinese EFL/ESL learners and native English speakers. The data analyses reveal several key findings, including a general synonym acquisition trajectory. First, synonyms are often differentiated by their typical collocates; hence, the acquisition of synonyms is largely the learning of their salient collocates. Secondly, construal of the communicative purpose/context at hand also plays an important role in synonym selection. Thirdly, EFL/ESL learners begin to show some grasp of the salient usages/meanings of synonyms, and their grasp of synonyms advances significantly as their English proficiency increases to advanced level, but advanced learners still exhibit difficulties in synonym use, including an inadequate ability in forming context-called-for unique construals. Fourthly, frequency plays a crucial role in synonym acquisition, as low-frequency synonyms and salient synonym collocation usages with a low raw frequency are especially difficult for L2 learners. Implications for pedagogy and future research are also discussed.

scholarly journals Understanding the Role of Interaction From Linguistic, Affective, and Social Perspectives

2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guang Xu
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Esl Students ◽  
Social Perspectives ◽  
Dynamic Relationship ◽  
Canadian Native ◽  
Interaction Intensity

This study was conducted to broaden the scope of studies on interaction. It examined the role of interaction in terms of linguistic, affective, and social aspects. A questionnaire was administered and intensive interviews conducted to reveal the reality of communication between Chinese ESL students and Canadian native English speakers and how students made sense of their interaction with native speakers. Some linguistic benefits of interaction were found. A dynamic relationship between anxiety/confidence and interaction was identified. However, a significant gap between students’ attitude/desire and their interaction intensity was exposed, which was explained by social support and other factors.

Prototype effects in first and second language learners: The case of English transitive semantics

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 618-639 ◽  
Author(s):  
SARUT SUPASIRAPRAPA
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
False Positive ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Category Membership ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Adult Esl ◽  
Esl Learners

According to usage-based approaches to language acquisition, linguistic constructions should display prototype effects, or graded category membership (e.g., Bybee, 2010). Using the prototype-plus-distortion methodology (Franks & Bransford, 1971), Ibbotson, Theakston, Lieven, and Tomasello (2012) have provided evidence for prototype effects in adult native English speakers, who had false-positive recognition of sentences with prototypical transitive semantics as having been previously encountered after being exposed to non-prototypical transitive semantics. In the current study, I adopted this methodology and investigated whether the effects can be replicated and additionally observed from English-as-a-second-language (ESL) learners. Results from two groups of adult native English speakers (N=20 and N=21), each exposed to a different stimuli set, suggested some, but not strong, effects and revealed the complexity of the use of this methodology with linguistic materials. Moreover, no effects were observed from advanced adult ESL learners (N=22), suggesting possible differences between first and second transitive semantic representations.

scholarly journals Extrametricality and second language acquisition

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Duarte Garcia
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Word Level ◽  
Phonetic Cues ◽  
The Right

This paper examines how native English speakers acquire stress in Portuguese. Native speakers and second language learners (L2ers) of any given language have to formulate word-level prosodic generalizations based on a subset of lexical items to which they have been exposed. This subset contains robust as well as subtle cues as to which stress patterns are more or less productive, so that when speakers encounter novel forms they know which stress position is more likely. L2ers, however, face a much more challenging task, mainly if they are adults and have long passed the critical period. These difficulties are particularly notable in word-level prominence, where several interacting phonetic cues are involved. The trends observed across three proficiency levels in the judgement task described in this paper are consistent with a foot-based analysis, and show that L2ers successfully reset extrametricality (Yes in the L1; No in the L2) and shift the default stress position from antepenult (L1) to penult (L2). The latter is expected to follow from the former in a foot-based approach where feet become aligned to the right edge of the word as extrametricality is reset to No.

scholarly journals Advantage in Reading Lexical Bundles is Reduced in Non-Native Speakers

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Valsecchi ◽  
Viktoria Künstler ◽  
Sven Saage ◽  
Brian J. White ◽  
Joybrato Mukherjee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Matched Control ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Formulaic Sequences ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Lexical Bundles ◽  
Control Units ◽  
And Control

Formulaic sequences such as idioms, collocations, and lexical bundles, which may be processed as holistic units, make up a large proportion of natural language. For language learners, however, formulaic patterns are a major barrier to achieving native like competence. The present study investigated the processing of lexical bundles by native speakers and less advanced non-native English speakers using corpus analysis for the identification of lexical bundles and eye-tracking to measure the reading times. The participants read sentences containing 4-grams and control phrases which were matched for sub-string frequency. The results for native speakers demonstrate a processing advantage for formulaic sequences over the matched control units. We do not find any processing advantage for non-native speakers which suggests that native like processing of lexical bundles comes only late in the acquisition process.

scholarly journals Hedging in spoken conversations by Norwegian learners of English

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-48
Author(s):  
Stine Hulleberg Johansen
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
Grammatical Competence ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
Hedging Strategies ◽  
High Level ◽  
Learner Language

Hedging is an important aspect of pragmatic competence, but it is also a complex phenomenon that is difficult to master. This has resulted in underuse of hedging strategies by language learners, and many learners limit their hedging repertoire to a few strategies. This study compares the use of 10 hedging expressions commonly used in informal spoken English, a bit, I mean, I think, just, kind of/kinda, like, might, probably, thing(s), and you know, in data from LINDSEI-no, a corpus of Norwegian advanced learners, and LOCNEC, a comparable corpus of native English speakers. Norwegian learners typically show a high level of grammatical competence, but research on their pragmatic competence is limited. This study adds to the empirical research on Norwegian advanced learners by comparing the use of these expressions in native and learner language. The results indicate that as a group, Norwegian learners underuse hedging strategies, but when each expression and individual variation are considered, the picture is more nuanced. In fact, several of the Norwegian learners’ hedging practices partially overlap with several of the native speakers’ practices concerning hedging frequency and types of hedging strategies used.

scholarly journals Second Language Learners’ Coping Strategy in Conversations with Native Speakers

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-183
Author(s):  
Sachiko Terui
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
The Many ◽  
Communicative Strategy

One of the many strategies that many international students employ to cope with their lack of English proficiency is to pretend to understand or not to understand the conversational content exchanged with native English speakers. Combining autoethnography and iterative interviews this research explores the pretending behavior profoundly from non-native speakers’ perspectives. During the iterative interviews, six students shared their personal experience specified in pretending behaviors. This study aims at informing the second language learning experience and promoting mutual understanding between native and non-native speakers in multi-lingual and multi-cultural societies. As a result, under the metatheme (Tesch, 1987) of pretending in conversation, pretending as a Communicative Strategy, eleven themes emerged. 

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