Language Vocabulary Research Articles

Neural changes in sign language vocabulary learning: Tracking lexical integration with ERP measures

The present study aimed to investigate the neural changes related to the early stages of sign language vocabulary learning. Hearing non-signers were exposed to Catalan Sign Language (LSC) signs in three laboratory learning sessions over the course of a week. Participants completed two priming tasks designed to examine learning-related neural changes by means of N400 responses. In a semantic decision task, participants evaluated whether written Catalan word pairs were semantically related or not. The experimental manipulation included prime-target phonological overlap (or not) of the corresponding LSC sign translations. In a LSC primed lexical decision task, participants saw pairs of signs and had to determine if the targets were real LSC signs or not. The experimental design included pairs of signs that were semantically related or unrelated. The results of the LSC lexical decision task showed N400 lexicality and semantic priming effects in the third session. Also in the third session, N400 effects related to the activation of LSC phonology were observed during word processing in the semantic decision task. Overall, our findings suggest rapid neural changes occurring during the initial stages of intensive sign language vocabulary training. The results are discussed in relation to the temporality of lexicality and semantic effects, as well as their potential relation to linguistic features of sign languages.

We don’t have a family language policy: exploring overt and covert family language policy planning styles

ABSTRACT Family language policy (FLP) is a key focus of immigrant families, as parents are considered to play a vital role in children’s bilingual language development. Nevertheless, many parents report that they do not have an FLP. Accordingly, their FLP planning style is unplanned and spontaneous. This study compares families’ FLP planning styles (overt vs. covert). Data was collected via questionnaires from parents and their English-Hebrew bilingual children (n = 82). Children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary of both languages were assessed to explore the impact of FLP planning style. Results confirm that families present with a desire for proficient outcomes in both languages. However, families with an overt planning style present with more pro-heritage language policies (e.g. promoting English use with siblings). Those with a covert planning style lean towards pro-societal language policies and children may be allowed to speak any language at home. Differences in FLP planning did not significantly impact ratings of home language use or children’s vocabulary. The perceived value of English as a global language may be partially responsible for the findings. The study confirms that although there are many effective ways to raise a bilingual child, FLP planning has implications for the bilingual language learning environment.

Le rôle de la mémoire de travail dans l’acquisition incidente du vocabulaire en langue seconde durant la compréhension orale chez les enfants : une revue de littérature

Developing vocabulary to understand oral and written language in first language (L1) and second language (L2) is a major challenge for both adults and young learners. The learning of words also depends on the working memory (WM), which is central to human cognition and language learning; several studies have established its important role in learning L1 (Gathercole & Baddeley, 1989, 1990) and, even more so, in L2 (Baddeley & al., 1998; Gathercole & al., 1999; Service & Kohonen, 1995). Despite previous studies on the role of WM in the incidental acquisition of second language vocabulary during listening comprehension, the need for clarification on this role, especially in children, remains to be explored. The aim of this article is to present a synthesis of the literature on the role of WM in the incidental acquisition of second language vocabulary during listening comprehension in children to highlight this need for the necessary clarifications.

Second Language Lexical Competence in Classroom Environment from the Perspective of Cognitive Flexibility Theory

This paper is based on the framework of cognitive flexibility theory, this study intends to test the vocabulary skills of three groups of subjects representing low, middle and high levels of English and explored the following three main questions:1. Whether there are differences in second-language vocabulary competence in the classroom environment for subjects with different language levels. 2.whether there are differences in the cognitive flexibility of subjects with different language levels. 3. whether there is a correlation between cognitive flexibility and classroom second language vocabulary competence. The purpose of this paper is to provide experiences for developing learners' ability to apply their knowledge flexibly.

Efficiency trumps aptitude: Individualizing computer-assisted second language vocabulary learning

Efficiency trumps aptitude: Individualizing computer-assisted second language vocabulary learning

Study on computer-based systematic foreign language vocabulary teaching

Since ineffective FL vocabulary teaching has been currently shown in the higher education of Mainland China, this study aims to achieve a satisfactory vocabulary teaching outcome through the construction of a systematic computer-based vocabulary teaching mode. Based on constructivism, the mode was established with three essential teaching phases, which were incorporated with systematic cognitive processes of vocabulary learning, supported by appropriate vocabulary teaching strategies, and also facilitated by computer technologies. To illustrate its efficacy, altogether 58 non-English major undergraduate students in two classes were selected randomly from a university in Mainland China. The participants were divided into two groups by class, which were taught target words under the computer-based systematic vocabulary teaching mode and the traditional paper-based one, respectively. Under the traditional mode, the same teacher adopted the teaching methods as they had normally done in the past, such as rote memorization and mechanical practice mainly with paper-based materials. Through the achievement comparisons, it was ultimately revealed that the systematic computer-based vocabulary teaching mode was superior to the traditional with a detectable difference either immediately after or one month after the treatment. The significance was further reinforced by the results from a questionnaire survey conducted among the group taught under the systematic computer-based vocabulary teaching mode.

The Impact of Narrow Reading on the Receptive Vocabulary Knowledge of Moroccan High School Students

Recent research on English as a foreign language (EFL) vocabulary instruction has surged due to its inherent importance and the challenge it poses, given the vast number of words in languages. Many studies explored how reading enhances EFL students’ vocabulary. However, empirical studies on how narrow reading aids beginners' vocabulary growth are lacking. Hence, this study purports to investigate the impact of narrow reading on the development of Moroccan EFL students’ receptive vocabulary knowledge. An experimental pretest post-test design is adopted. 75 10th grade (common core) beginner students belonging to three groups participated in the study. The first experimental group read 4 texts on the same theme and written by the same author. The second experimental group read 4 texts written by the same author. The control group read 4 texts written by different authors on different themes. Meara’s yes/no test was used to measure the participants’ receptive vocabulary knowledge before the treatment. The treatment lasted seven weeks.The vocabulary knowledge scale (VKS) was used to measure students’ receptive vocabulary gains. The results of a one-way ANOVA showed that the group which read texts on the same theme and by the same author outperformed the other groups. Informal discussion with the participants unveiled some factors that have eased vocabulary uptake.

РОЗРОБЛЕННЯ МОБІЛЬНОГО ДОДАТКУ ДЛЯ ВИВЧЕННЯ ІНОЗЕМНИХ МОВ З ВИКОРИСТАННЯМ МАШИННОГО НАВЧАННЯ

Recently, Ukrainians, especially those who have suddenly found themselves abroad, have faced the need to learn different languages. Each language is associated with the culture of a country, so by learning it, a person not only gets a communication tool, but also immerses himself in the life and customs of the country. Knowledge of foreign languages opens up opportunities for both study and work outside of Ukraine. The growing popularity of mobile devices and the availability of high-speed Internet make mobile language learning apps increasingly popular and effective tools. The purpose of this work is to investigate the possibility of using machine learning algorithms to create a mobile application for learning a foreign language. The ML Kit SDK was used to create a mobile application with a wide range of functions. In the context of learning a foreign language, ML Kit SDK is used to recognize and process speech, translate text, and identify the most important words or phrases in a text, parts of speech, nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. The mobile application allows you to create unique and personalized settings for each user based on their personal data and preferences. The application offers users a wide range of features in the form of interactive exercises, personalization, progress tracking, and offline support. The software product helps users memorize new vocabulary faster and easier when learning a foreign language. The app is available on mobile devices, making it convenient to use anywhere and anytime. The target audience is people learning a foreign language, students, professionals who need foreign language vocabulary for work, etc. The mobile application can also be useful for foreign language teachers looking for innovative and effective methods of teaching their students.

Implementation of Raita Algorithm in Manado-Indonesia Translation Application with Text Suggestion Using Levenshtein Distance Algorithm

Abstract. Manado City is one of the multidimensional and multicultural cities, possessing assets that are considered highly potential for development into tourism and development attractions. The current tourism assets being developed by the Manado City government are cultural tourism, as they hold a charm and allure for tourists. Hence, a communication tool in the form of a translation application is necessary for facilitating communication between visiting tourists and the native community of North Sulawesi, even for newcomers who intend to reside in North Sulawesi, given that the Manado language serves as the primary communication tool within the community. This research employs a combination of the Raita algorithm and the Levenshtein distance algorithm in its creation process, along with the confusion matrix method to calculate the accuracy of translation results using the Levenshtein distance algorithm with a text suggestion feature. The research begins by collecting a dataset consisting of Manado language vocabulary and their translations in Indonesia language, sourced from literature studies and original respondents from North Sulawesi, which have been validated by a validator to prevent translation data errors. The subsequent stage involves preprocessing the dataset, converting the entire content of the dataset to lowercase using the case folding process, and removing spaces at the start and end of texts using the trim function. Next, both algorithms are implemented, with the Raita algorithm serving for translation and the Levenshtein distance algorithm providing text suggestions for typing errors during the translation process. The accuracy results derived from the confusion matrix calculations during the translation process of 100 vocabulary words, accounting for typing errors, indicate that the Levenshtein distance algorithm is capable of effectively translating vocabulary accurately and correctly, even in the presence of typing errors, resulting in a high accuracy rate of 94,17%. Purpose: To determine the implementation of the Levenshtein distance and Raita algorithms in the process of using the Manado-Indonesian translation application, as well as the resulting accuracy level. Methods/Study design/approach: In this study, a combination of the Raita and Levenshtein distance algorithms is utilized in the translation application system, along with the confusion matrix method to calculate accuracy. Result/Findings: The accuracy achieved in the translation process using text suggestions from the Levenshtein distance algorithm is 94.17%. Novelty/Originality/Value: This research demonstrates that the combination of the Raita and Levenshtein distance algorithms yields optimal results in the vocabulary translation process and provides accurate outcomes from the use of effective text suggestions. This is attributed to the fact that nearly all the data used was successfully translated by the system, even in the presence of typographical errors.

Молодежный сленг: восприятие глагольных заимствований носителями языка

This article presents the results of a psycholinguistic study aimed at determining the peculiarities of perception of English-language verb borrowings by Russian representatives of different age groups and professions. The research is based on the psycholinguistic theory of the word as a means of access to a single perceptual-cognitive-affective information base of a person and the concept of the specifics of the functioning of individual knowledge, developed by A.A. Zalevskaya. Quantitative indicators and qualitative analysis of the results obtained in the experiment made it possible to identify several groups of borrowed verbs depending on the level of their adaptation in the new language system. In addition, the experimental study was conducted in two stages (in the first part, stimuli were presented without context, in the second – in context), which allowed, during the analysis of the experimental results, to compare the characteristics of the identification of a borrowed English word by the subjects in a situational context and without it. The experimental material, English-language verb borrowings, is analyzed from the point of view of an individual using them: age, level of education, profession, level of knowledge /non- knowledge of a foreign language play an important role in the process of identifying words of youth slang. With age, the tolerant attitude towards borrowings decreases, while it turned out that representatives of the humanitarian professions are generally more tolerant of foreign language vocabulary than people who are professionally unrelated to language and cultural studies. With an increase in the level of education of the subjects, the speech adaptation of new borrowings is easier.

The role of individual differences in L2 vocabulary learning: A review of out-of-class exposure, strategic learning and motivation

This review paper explores the role of individual differences in second language vocabulary learning, focusing on three key factors: out-of-class exposure (e.g., viewing TV, playing video games and listening to songs), strategic vocabulary learning, and motivation. Individual differences significantly impact vocabulary learning, making it crucial to understand how these factors contribute to learning outcomes. Yet, previous reviews have mainly overlooked out-of-class exposure in their discussion of individual differences. The current review shows that the three factors can have a positive effect on lexical development. There are some points to consider such as the need for a large amount of input for out of-class exposure to be effective. Additionally, the review shows that both motivation and self-regulation are important for vocabulary learning and that they are positively related to vocabulary knowledge. It shows that more self-regulated and motivated students tend to have significantly larger and more developed vocabulary knowledge. By synthesizing findings from empirical studies on individual differences and vocabulary learning, this review provides insights into making vocabulary learning more effective.

The role of individual differences in L2 vocabulary learning: A review of out-of-class exposure, strategic learning and motivation

This review paper explores the role of individual differences in second language vocabulary learning, focusing on three key factors: out-of-class exposure (e.g., viewing TV, playing video games and listening to songs), strategic vocabulary learning, and motivation. Individual differences significantly impact vocabulary learning, making it crucial to understand how these factors contribute to learning outcomes. Yet, previous reviews have mainly overlooked out-of-class exposure in their discussion of individual differences. The current review shows that the three factors can have a positive effect on lexical development. There are some points to consider such as the need for a large amount of input for outof-class exposure to be effective. Additionally, the review shows that both motivation and self-regulation are important for vocabulary learning and that they are positively related to vocabulary knowledge. It shows that more self-regulated and motivated students tend to have significantly larger and more developed vocabulary knowledge. By synthesizing findings from empirical studies on individual differences and vocabulary learning, this review provides insights into making vocabulary learning more effective.

The Anatomy of Iconicity: Cumulative Structural Analogies Underlie Objective and Subjective Measures of Iconicity.

The vocabularies of natural languages harbour many instances of iconicity, where words show a perceived resemblance between aspects of form and meaning. An open challenge in this domain is how to reconcile different operationalizations of iconicity and link them to an empirically grounded theory. Here we combine three ways of looking at iconicity using a set of 239 iconic words from 5 spoken languages (Japanese, Korean, Semai, Siwu and Ewe). Data on guessing accuracy serves as a baseline measure of probable iconicity and provides variation that we seek to explain and predict using structure-mapping theory and iconicity ratings. We systematically trace a range of cross-linguistically attested form-meaning correspondences in the dataset, yielding a word-level measure of cumulative iconicity that we find to be highly predictive of guessing accuracy. In a rating study, we collect iconicity judgments for all words from 78 participants. The ratings are well-predicted by our measure of cumulative iconicity and also correlate strongly with guessing accuracy, showing that rating tasks offer a scalable method to measure iconicity. Triangulating the measures reveals how structure-mapping can help open the black box of experimental measures of iconicity. While none of the methods is perfect, taken together they provide a well-rounded way to approach the meaning and measurement of iconicity in natural language vocabulary.

Gamification as a Tool to Improve Vocabulary in English Language in High-School Students

Gamification has gained popularity among educators who perceive it as a useful tool for carrying out the teaching-learning process optimally. The lack of positive results in the learning of English as a foreign language has become one of the main challenges Mexico faces considered the language as a priority. English teachers know the importance of finding options to present new words to students in a way they could learn appropriately. Vocabulary is a meaningful key of language learning, based on it, other skills are developed. Trough unplugged gamification there has been determinate the relation between the strategy and academic results in written tests in vocabulary area, specifically nouns, among fourth-semester students in high-school education at Plantel Norte, Escuela de Bachilleres. The study follows a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design, correlational scope, and a longitudinal study moment when nouns have been measured based on tests administered before and after the development and use of these low-cost games.

National Dictionary Fund: New Opportunities and Prospects

On behalf of the President of the Russian Federation, we have started working on the creation of the National Dictionary Fund (NDF). NDF is a digital resource that contains electronically recorded data on the functioning of the norms of the Russian language from various dictionaries. The development of NDF is due to the need to create a single, complete body of scientific knowledge, reliable and objective information about the norms of the Russian language in their current state and historical dynamics in a certain era of its development, as well as the history of the vocabulary of the modern Russian literary language from the time of its appearance to the present day. The system of Russian dictionaries will be integrated into a single network operating in a continuous development mode and representing an interactive dynamic model of the lexical system of the modern Russian language. It is supposed to have open access to information through a convenient digital tool with simple navigation. The NDF will be equipped with linguistic markup and an online search system for necessary information. NDF will offer the user not only the opportunity to see the information from a particular dictionary, but will also provide an expertly developed tool for extracting various types of language information from dictionaries.

AI-Enabled Special Education : A Study on Factors Influencing Chinese Disabled College Students' Acceptance of AI-Assisted Mobile Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning

AI-Enabled Special Education : A Study on Factors Influencing Chinese Disabled College Students' Acceptance of AI-Assisted Mobile Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning

АДАМДЫН ФИЗИОЛОГИЯЛЫК АБАЛЫН, ЭМОЦИЯСЫН ТУЮНДУРГАН ЭТИШТИК АНТОНИМДЕР (А.Жакыпбековдун чыгармаларынын негизинде)

In the realm of general linguistics, groups of words signifying various scenarios of object and phenomenon interactions, verbs, exhibit a greater morphological complexity compared to word families. They constitute a substantial portion of a language's vocabulary. Our aforementioned article yields the same conclusion. Specifically, when investigating antonyms within the artistic language of the esteemed writer A. Dzhakypbekov, verbal antonyms were found to be prevalent. The content of our scholarly work encompasses antonymous verbs that convey shifts in the emotional experiences of the characters in the work (including weeping, laughter, joy, sadness, positive and negative emotions, etc.), as well as diverse situations pertaining to their physiological state, movements, and actions involving the human body and its organs. Examples related to this word category were scrutinized in terms of morphological composition, antonym formation methods, and classification.

Мнемотехники для запоминания иноязычной лексики в процессе самостоятельной работы студентов по созданию ассоциативных карт в неязыковом вузе

The research aims to substantiate the potential use of mnemonic techniques for memorizing foreign language vocabulary during independent work on creating association maps in a general English course by non-language university students. The paper examines three groups of mnemonic techniques: visual, audiovisual, and auditory, and provides examples of association maps that include visual images, definitions or examples of the use of lexical units in context, as well as associative chains related to students’ personal experiences or contexts of their lives. The scientific novelty of the work lies in clarifying the advantages of using association maps as a means of teaching foreign language vocabulary from the perspective of students who participated in the preparation of these maps during independent work. The research findings indicate that students display a positive attitude towards the use of association maps for memorizing foreign language vocabulary. Students highlight the following advantages of such maps: 1) the time spent on their creation has an impact on deep memorization; 2) students can successfully recall and apply vocabulary during the final control task; 3) they perceive the work on producing maps as a creative task. The research also shows that it is important for students to organize additional practice with association maps for systematic repetition of lexical units in order to preserve them in long-term memory.

BODY LANGUAGE VOCABULARY IN ALBANIAN AS A PROOF OF AN ABUNDANT AND ANCIENT LANGUAGE!

The richness of language vocabulary is directly related to the personal culture of reading and educational background of the person belonging to a specific ethnic community, altogether with the tradition, customs and folklore, as factors of its historic cultural development. The historical development of an ethnicity plays a decisive role in the richness of words and the abundance of vocabulary for specific types and fields of cultures, such as the musical culture, the culture of fine arts, legal and institutional culture, culture of housing buildings, culture of healthy living, etc. The national conscience is related to the common language speaking and the cultivation of tradition, folklore and clothing by the people living in a common geographic territory. Their fights for survival and freedom, as well as the wars for defense of the territory has produced an abundant vocabulary up to details and stylistic varieties and a detailed description of the fighting tools and processes, such as struggle, fight, wars, call for freedom, on the other hand, but also is a lack of words and poorness of vocabulary related to the technical description of the manufactured products and merchandises coming from abroad. Depending on the cultural development of the institutions, the law enforcement and written rules regulating the rights and the responsibility for obeying the legal restrictions and prohibitions has produced a better legal and institutional culture in one country, rather than in an old fashioned organization of social life in countries of a specific stage of national development, where the legal institutions were perceived as strange and hostile originating by an occupying country or nation. These institutions were only accepted as temporary and people obeyed them only by coercion, unwillingly and due to the threat of use of force, in case of lack of obedience. The culture of reading newspapers and watching TV has influenced the richness of vocabulary by meeting new words of the literary, official and the international language, except for the vocabulary of the dialects in their native language.

Culture-specific heritage language vocabulary and collective identity among three generations of Mountain Jews

ABSTRACT Culture-specific vocabulary denotes objects that bear cultural weight and are not readily translatable or understood in other languages. The present study explores cultural items in an endangered language, Juhuri (Judeo-Tat), the traditional language of Mountain Jews (MJ) who immigrated to Israel and the United States. A set of ten items, five cultural and five neutral, served as stimuli for a picture recognition task inserted in a questionnaire distributed to MJs from three generations (G1, G1.5, and G2). In addition, participants rated their ethnocultural and national identities and their level of Juhuri proficiency. Results yielded significantly better recognition of culture-specific over neutral items by G1.5 and G2 participants, but no difference among more proficient G1 participants. Regression analyses revealed a significant effect of MJ identity on the recognition of cultural items. Neither Israeli nor American national background had an effect on the recognition of either cultural or neutral items. The findings shed light on the role of ethnocultural identity in the recognition of culture-specific vocabulary. Results are discussed in terms of research on heritage language maintenance and shift, identity, and the status of the MJ community in both countries.