Vocabulary

by Schmitt, Norbert; McCarthy, Michael

• ISBN13: 9780521585514
• ISBN10: 0521585511
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-01-28
• Publisher: Cambridge Univ Pr

Summary

This volume examines the area of second language vocabulary studies from three broad perspectives: description, acquisition and pedagogical context. The book's fifteen chapters are grouped together to achieve a balance between descriptions of what vocabulary is and how it behaves, how the mind learns new vocabulary and then uses it when it is learned, and pedagogical issues of teaching and testing L2 vocabulary. Some of the specific topics addressed in these three general areas include: - word frequency and vocabulary size, multi-word units, variation between spoken and written language; - models of lexical acquisition, first language influences on second language vocabulary acquisition, vocabulary learning strategies; - vocabulary and the syllabus, trends in teaching and testing vocabulary, lexical reference sources.

Table of Contents

1. Word frequency and vocabulary size Paul Nation and Rob Waring

2. Variation in spoken and written language Michael McCarthy and Ron Carter

3. Vocabulary connections Rosamund Moon

4. Vocabulary and context William Nagy

5. Productive vs. receptive aspects of vocabulary Francine Melka

6. Models of lexical acquisition Paul Meara

7. Cognitive constraints on vocabulary acquisition Nick Ellis

8. Intralexical factors affecting the difficulty of vocabulary acquisition Batia Laufer

9. L1 influences on L2 vocabulary acquisition

10. Acquisition of the formal aspects of vocabulary Michael Swan

11. Vocabulary learning strategies Ann Ryan

12. Vocabulary and the syllabus Norbert Schmitt

13. Teaching vocabulary: most recent trends Felicity O'Dell

14. Vocabulary and testing John Read

15. Dictionaries, thesauruses, lexical resources Phil Schofield.