A Study on Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition Under the Categorization Theory

Abstract

In cognitive linguistics, debates on the status and functions of categorization have been a heated issue. In semantics and second language acquisition, scholars have discussed and achieved vocabulary acquisition from different perspectives and academic levels. Vocabulary learning exerts a fundamental role in second language vocabulary acquisition (SLVA), and it is closely related to learners’ cognitive competence. However, studies on second language vocabulary acquisition under the categorization theory in cognitive linguistics have received less attention from linguists when compared with other studies. This paper employs two representative dimensions, the basic-level effect and the prototype effect, under the categorization theory to further delve into the implications on second language vocabulary acquisition. This article first provides a comprehensive introduction to the nature and the approaches of the categorization theory, and then analyzes the relations and implications for second language vocabulary acquisition under the categorization theory from the perspective of the basic-level and the prototype effects. The research results showed that the basic-level effect on SLVA is mainly on the classification of word categories distinguished from the superordinate and subordinate categories, while the prototype effect is more on understanding the complexity and use of word meaning.