Abstract
The aim of the article is to review the findings of research into patterns of word associations in both first and second language and discuss its relevance for the understanding of L2 lexical processes. Word association studies have been used widely in areas such as psychology and first language acquisition and have resulted in detailed descriptions of word association behaviour of speakers at different ages and stages of language development. As far as research into L2 word associations is concerned, it concentrated predominantly on the differences between native and non-native association patterns, types of links between words in the L2 mental lexicon as well as the influence of general language proficiency on word association behaviour.
Highlights
Word association studies have been enjoying an established status in a number of areas where emphasis is put on studying connections between concepts in the human mind
Studies into word associations in a second/foreign language have not yielded entirely conclusive results. They have pointed out a number of tendencies in word association patterns such as a qualitative change in types of associations with an increase in general L2 proficiency or differences in types of associations according to the context of learning
Some studies have demonstrated that general level of proficiency in a foreign language is not the only factor determining the types of learner-generated associations
Summary
Word association studies have been enjoying an established status in a number of areas where emphasis is put on studying connections between concepts in the human mind. Zareva’s (2007) study yielded surprising conclusions with regard to the proportions of paradigmatic and syntagmatic responses produced by non-native speakers.
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