Lexical Development in Adult Beginning Second Language Learners


Autoria(s): Chouinard, Angela
Data(s)

01/01/2011

Resumo

This research tests the hypothesis that knowledge of derivational morphology facilitates vocabulary acquisition in beginning adult second language learners. Participants were mono-lingual English-speaking college students aged 18 years and older enrolled inintroductory Spanish courses. Knowledge of Spanish derivational morphology was tested through the use of a forced-choice translation task. Spanish lexical knowledge was measured by a translation task using direct translation (English word) primes and conceptual (picture) primes. A 2x2x2 mixed factor ANOVA examined the relationships between morphological knowledge (strong, moderate), error type (form-based, conceptual), and prime type (direct translation, picture). The results are consistent with the existence of a relationship between knowledge of derivational morphology andacquisition of second language vocabulary. Participants made more conceptually-based errors than form-based errors F (1,22)=7.744, p=.011. This result is consistent with Clahsen & Felser’s (2006) and Ullman’s (2004) models of second language processing. Additionally, participants with Strong morphological knowledge made fewer errors onthe lexical knowledge task than participants with Moderate morphological knowledge t(23)=-2.656, p=.014. I suggest future directions to clarify the relationship between morphological knowledge and lexical development in adult second language learners.

Formato

application/pdf

Identificador

http://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/honors_theses/46

http://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1045&context=honors_theses

Publicador

Bucknell Digital Commons

Fonte

Honors Theses

Palavras-Chave #second language acquisition #spanish #morphology #Psychology
Tipo

text