ITL - International Journal of Applied Linguistics - Volume 158, Issue 1, 2009

Abstract

This study examines the use of a Thai politeness marker, khráb (ครับ), by two Thai-English bilingual brothers, aged 11 and 15, during their 3-year stay in the U.S. By examining spontaneous speech data collected over eleven months (from Month 15 to Month 25 from time of arrival in the U.S.) in the boys’ home in the U.S., we show that the two brothers used progressively less khráb (ครับ) in speaking to their mother as time passed. The boys’ declining use of the politeness marker is explained in part by their greater use of other casual Thai particles as substitutes and, in the case of the younger brother, the English filler, ‘uh-huh.’ When the boys used khráb (ครับ), it was often for reasons other than for expressing politeness, such as to soften short responses and mitigate potential conflict. This paper argues that the boys’ use of this politeness marker reflects their ability to adapt to a new setting where there is less pressure to supply socially appropriate linguistic forms in Thai. By focusing on the continuing development of the first language of L2 learners of English, this paper presents a critical look at the changing linguistic needs of sojourners.

Abstract

In the present study we report research conducted with female and male students who were learning English as EFL in the 6th grade of Spanish primary education (end of this educational stage). Our main objective was to ascertain whether there were differences or similarities regarding the number and the kind of words produced by male students compared to those produced by female students in response to cue words from a lexical availability task. Highly significant differences were found in the average number of words produced by the two sexes. Girls achieved higher means than boys for each of the fifteen cue words contained in the lexical availability task.

Abstract

This research intends to detect which instruction is most advisable for unknown English academic terms in first course students of English Philology. Fot this purpose it evaluates whether or not the context, with a small number of encounters (6) is superior to the visual help (expert cognitive pattern), obtained with the Pathfinder procedure (Schvaneveldt, Durso and Dearholt, 1989; Schvaneveldt, 1990; Thompson, Gomez and Schvaneveldt, 2000), when learning a complex vocabulary set; in this case, academic vocabulary (Coxhead, 1998). Results confirm that both types of instruction are useful when teaching this vocabulary however, context seems to be superior in spite of the small number of encounters used in the instruction. Bearing in mind the ease of getting appropriate contexts of use, this is the type of instruction that our research points to as the most recommendable.

Abstract

A current issue in L2 reading research is whether extensive reading promotes vocabulary development. This study examined vocabulary acquisition in uninstructed silent reading of a short story with and without a vocabulary list followed by a story rewriting task. Time constraints of a public school setting prevented an extended period of study required for extensive reading research, but vocabulary learning strategies and outcomes of this study are applicable to extensive reading.

This study also explored Hinkel’s (2006) recommendation to modify the goal of extensive reading programs to meet the pedagogical ideal of integrated skills learning, that is, reading and vocabulary learning. Questioning the traditional goal of extensive reading to read relatively quickly for general ideas, Hinkel (2006) also proposes that it should draw learner attention to some aspect of language such as vocabulary. Similarly, Nation (2005) emphasizes need for deliberate vocabulary learning in extensive reading which should form a substantial and obligatory part of language courses (p.15). Due to the assumption that uninstructed sustained silent reading encourages students to read widely, I will refer to research on “extensive reading,” using Hinkel’s (2006) and Day, Omura, and Hiramatsu’s (1991) operational definition of sustained silent reading as extensive reading for pleasure over time.

This article reviews English Discourse Markers of Reformulation

This article reviews Collocations in a Learner Corpus

This article reviews Les Marqueurs Discursifs Dans Les Langues Romanes. Approches ThéOriques Et Méthodologiques