Deliberate Learning and Vocabulary Acquisition in a Second Language

Abstract

This study investigates outcomes of deliberate learning on vocabulary acquisition in a second language (L2). Acquisition of 48 pseudowords was measured using the lexical decision task with visually presented stimuli. The experiments drew on form priming, masked repetition priming, and automatic semantic priming procedures. Data analyses revealed a prime lexicality effect (Experiment 1), repetition priming effect (Experiment 2), and semantic priming effect (Experiment 3) for the deliberately learned pseudowords. The outcomes of deliberate learning were further examined using a coefficient of variability (CVRT) calculated for the participants’ response latencies in Experiments 2 and 3. The results showed that the learned pseudowords were processed with a higher degree of automaticity than nonwords and low‐frequency L2 words. Taken together, the findings provide evidence that deliberate learning triggered the acquisition of representational and functional aspects of vocabulary knowledge.