Relative complexity in a model of word difficulty: The role of loanwords in vocabulary size tests
Recent studies have shown that the frequency effect, although long used as a guide to word difficulty, fails to explain all variance in learner word knowledge. As such, a “more than frequency” conclusion has been offered to explain how lexical sophistication accounts for word difficulty. This study...
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Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
2024-07-01
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| Series: | Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching |
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| Online Access: | https://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/ssllt/article/view/38492 |
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| author | Derek Canning Stuart McLean Joseph Vitta |
| author_facet | Derek Canning Stuart McLean Joseph Vitta |
| author_sort | Derek Canning |
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| description | Recent studies have shown that the frequency effect, although long used as a guide to word difficulty, fails to explain all variance in learner word knowledge. As such, a “more than frequency” conclusion has been offered to explain how lexical sophistication accounts for word difficulty. This study presents a multiple regression model of word-learning difficulty from a data set of monolingual Japanese first language (L1) learners. Vocabulary Size Test (VST) scores of 2,999 L1 Japanese university students were converted to logit scores to determine the word-learning difficulty of 80 target words. Five lexical sophistication variables were found to correlate with word-learning difficulty (frequency, cognate status, age of acquisition, prevalence, and polysemy) above a practical significance threshold. These were subsequently entered into a regression model with the logit scores as the dependent variable. The model (R2 = .55) indicates that three lexical sophistication variables significantly predicted VST scores: frequency (ß = -.28, p = .029), cognateness (ß = -.24, p = .005), and prevalence (ß = 0.22, p = .040). Despite suggestions that complexity studies be interpreted considering what is understood about the construct of linguistic complexity, researchers have rarely made explicit the differences between absolute and relative complexity variables. As some variables can be shown to vary in complexity according to the L1 population, these must be considered in discussions of test generalizability. Although frequency will continue to be the primary criterion for the selection of lexical items for teaching and testing, the cognate status of words can be used to predict the potential learning burden of the word more precisely for learners of different L1 backgrounds. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ce04735ab290413e928d7133793dfa95 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2083-5205 2084-1965 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-07-01 |
| publisher | Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań |
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| series | Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching |
| spelling | doaj-art-ce04735ab290413e928d7133793dfa952025-01-10T10:24:02ZengAdam Mickiewicz University in PoznańStudies in Second Language Learning and Teaching2083-52052084-19652024-07-0114463165910.14746/ssllt.3849268399Relative complexity in a model of word difficulty: The role of loanwords in vocabulary size testsDerek Canning0https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5868-4502Stuart McLean1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7035-378XJoseph Vitta2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5711-969XSeigakuin UniversityMomoyama Gakuin UniversityWaseda UniversityRecent studies have shown that the frequency effect, although long used as a guide to word difficulty, fails to explain all variance in learner word knowledge. As such, a “more than frequency” conclusion has been offered to explain how lexical sophistication accounts for word difficulty. This study presents a multiple regression model of word-learning difficulty from a data set of monolingual Japanese first language (L1) learners. Vocabulary Size Test (VST) scores of 2,999 L1 Japanese university students were converted to logit scores to determine the word-learning difficulty of 80 target words. Five lexical sophistication variables were found to correlate with word-learning difficulty (frequency, cognate status, age of acquisition, prevalence, and polysemy) above a practical significance threshold. These were subsequently entered into a regression model with the logit scores as the dependent variable. The model (R2 = .55) indicates that three lexical sophistication variables significantly predicted VST scores: frequency (ß = -.28, p = .029), cognateness (ß = -.24, p = .005), and prevalence (ß = 0.22, p = .040). Despite suggestions that complexity studies be interpreted considering what is understood about the construct of linguistic complexity, researchers have rarely made explicit the differences between absolute and relative complexity variables. As some variables can be shown to vary in complexity according to the L1 population, these must be considered in discussions of test generalizability. Although frequency will continue to be the primary criterion for the selection of lexical items for teaching and testing, the cognate status of words can be used to predict the potential learning burden of the word more precisely for learners of different L1 backgrounds.https://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/ssllt/article/view/38492lexical sophisticationloanwordscognatesvocabulary size test (vst)frequency effectl2 word difficulty |
| spellingShingle | Derek Canning Stuart McLean Joseph Vitta Relative complexity in a model of word difficulty: The role of loanwords in vocabulary size tests Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching lexical sophistication loanwords cognates vocabulary size test (vst) frequency effect l2 word difficulty |
| title | Relative complexity in a model of word difficulty: The role of loanwords in vocabulary size tests |
| title_full | Relative complexity in a model of word difficulty: The role of loanwords in vocabulary size tests |
| title_fullStr | Relative complexity in a model of word difficulty: The role of loanwords in vocabulary size tests |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relative complexity in a model of word difficulty: The role of loanwords in vocabulary size tests |
| title_short | Relative complexity in a model of word difficulty: The role of loanwords in vocabulary size tests |
| title_sort | relative complexity in a model of word difficulty the role of loanwords in vocabulary size tests |
| topic | lexical sophistication loanwords cognates vocabulary size test (vst) frequency effect l2 word difficulty |
| url | https://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/ssllt/article/view/38492 |
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