Knowing a Word

Knowing a Word

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Fluent native speakers intuitively know how to use a lexical item in the appropriate context. They can even determine meaning of an unfamiliar word when it is written or spoken. However, second language learners may not understand what constitutes knowledge of vocabulary. This post delineates the various strands of vocabulary non-native speakers need to acquire to become highly proficient in writing and speaking in their second language. 

1. Word meaning: Knowing a word entails understanding it when it is written and/or spoken by 
    others in formal contexts. Native speakers do this readily without asking for clarification, but 
    second language learners need to acquire this tacit knowledge of vocabulary. 

2. Recall: A fluent speaker of a language can recall a word when it is needed in writing or in speech.
    S/he can incorporate the needed word while speaking without looking it up in a dictionary. In other
    words, proficient speakers can recall the needed word from long-term memory immediately. 

3. Use: Knowledge of vocabulary includes using a word with the correct meaning. Second language
    learners, however, may use words that are contextually inappropriate. Consider the following 
    sentence written by an English as a Second Language (ESL):
            
             *We need to consider this important problem. 
     
          (The asterisk is a linguistic convention to denote syntactic and semantic awkwardness.) 

     A native speaker would say: We need to consider this serious problem or this important issue. 

4. Grammar: Advanced speakers of a language know how to use a word in a grammatically correct 
    way, but this may not always be the case with non-native speakers. Thai speakers of English often 
    confuse "wish" with "hope" and say "I wish you had a good trip" when their intended meaning is "I 
    hope you had a good trip". The sentence they produce is both syntactically awkward and
    semantically anomalous.  

5. Pronunciation: A word may be monosyllabic, bisyllabic, or multisyllabic, but fluent speakers 
    know how to pronounce the word correctly. Correct pronunciation, in this sense, includes a 
    mastery of segmental phonology - enunciating specific vowels and consonants - and 
    suprasegmental phonology - using pitch, intonation, rhythm, etc., appropriately. Hindi speakers of 
    English tend to pronounce "assume" as "azume", which is an error. Even though they know the
    meaning of the word and use it in the right context, they mispronounce it. As a result, native 
    English speakers may not interpret their intended meaning correctly.  

6. Collocation: Knowledge of vocabulary not only constitutes a word's denotation - its dictionary
    definition, but it also encompasses knowing what other words it can be used with. The word 
    "rancid", for example, is used with words that mean an oily substance or something unpleasant or 
    decomposed. Native speakers know that "rancid butter/oil" is the right association, but "rancid
    milk" is not. English language programs can strengthen students' vocabulary development by
    subsuming collocation in the curriculum. 

7. Spelling: Knowing a word also includes spelling it correctly. A typical mistake made by non-
    native speakers of English is using "their" and "there" interchangeably. This error stems from a
    weak knowledge of spelling. Fluent speakers know how to distinguish between "fair" and "fare",
    but second language learners may need formal instruction and time-on-task to master spelling. 

8. Context: Knowing a word or a phrase entails pragmatic competence. In other words, knowledge of
    vocabulary is crucially important to convey intended meaning accurately and to use it in the right
    context. Second language pragmatic rules can be acquired by observing native speakers closely to 
    learn how to use a word in the appropriate context. Japanese speakers, for example, often say to
    native English speakers, "I am sorry", though they intend to say, "Excuse me". Native English
    speakers are confused by this approach, because an apology is offered only when one has
    committed something wrong intentionally or unintentionally. 

9. Connotation: Last but not least, fluent speakers tend to know whether a word or phrase has 
    positive or negative associations. The word "consequence" usually means a negative outcome or 
    result. In English, "face the consequences" means something bad will happen to the interlocutor if 
    s/he behaves in a certain way. Similarly, when native English speakers say to someone "we need to 
    talk", it is an indication that there is a conflict that needs to be resolved through dialogue and 
    reconciliation. This negative association may be lost on second language learners who misuse the   
    expression "we need to talk" when then mean "I need to talk with you (about something)". 

To sum up, while highly proficient speakers of a language know how to use a specific word in the right context, second language learners need to acquire the multiple strands of vocabulary mentioned above. Rather than teaching vocabulary in citation form, an English language program will do well if vocabulary lessons are planned with these strands in mind. 



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    1. I am glad you enjoyed reading the post. Please share it with your friends and family. Wisdom should be disseminated, and I appreciate your help with promoting the blog. Thanks a lot for visiting my blog.

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  2. Anonymous10:02 AM

    Thank you. It helps me so much. Can I get the reference?

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