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Article published In: Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 32:1 (2019) ► pp.82–124

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Using learner corpus methods in L2 acquisition research

The morpheme order studies revisited with Interlanguage Annotation

 | Universidad de Granada
 | Universidad de Granada
Published online: 24 July 2019
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.17019.loz
Abstract
Since the 1970s, findings from Morpheme Order Studies (MOS) have suggested that the emergence of morphemes follows a predictable order in L2 English. In this paper we show how the tools and practices in Learner Corpus Research (LCR) offer a richer descriptive basis, which is achieved with Interlanguage Annotation (ILA), a manual, fined-grained, purpose-oriented type of annotation. Additionally, we use a standardised placement test, since proficiency level has been overlooked in most previous MOS. Both of these practices provide a more detailed description of morpheme accuracy order across different levels. We analyse four proficiency levels (A1-B2) in a subcorpus of L1 Spanish-L2 English secondary-school learners from the CORpus of English as a Foreign Language (COREFL). Our results partially confirm findings from previous MOS, but also reveal key findings that had gone previously unnoticed regarding the role of proficiency level and the subtype of errors, which are relevant factors for SLA research.
Resumen
Desde los años 70, los resultados de los llamados Estudios del Orden de Morfemas (en inglés, Morpheme Order Studies, MOS) sugieren que la aparición de morfemas sigue un orden predecible en la adquisición de inglés como segunda lengua (L2). En este estudio demostramos cómo el enfoque y las herramientas de la investigación de corpus de aprendices (en inglés, Learner Corpus Research, LCR) ofrece una base descriptiva sólida mediante el uso de la Anotación de Interlengua (en inglés, Interlanguage Annotation, ILA), que consiste en una anotación manual, detallada y orientada a objetivos específicos. Además, usamos un test de proficiencia estandarizado ya que el nivel de proficiencia no ha sido medido en los MOS anteriores. En concreto, analizamos cuatro niveles de proficiciencia (A1 a B2) del corpus COREFL (Corpus of English as a Foreign Language), procedentes del subcorpus L1 español-L2 inglés de aprendices en educación secundaria. Nuestros resultados confirman parcialmente los hallazgos de los MOS previos, pero presentamos nuevos y relevantes hallazgos que no habían sido detectados en estudios anteriores en relación al nivel de proficiencia y los subtipos de errores y que son relevantes para la investigación de L2.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Revisiting the Morpheme Order Studies (MOS)
    • 2.1Key findings from the MOS
    • 2.2MOS based on learner corpus data
    • 2.3Main conclusions from the MOS
    • 2.4Methodological limitations of previous MOS research
    • 2.5Methodological limitations in LCR for SLA research purposes: Annotation
    • 2.6Research questions
  • 3.Method
    • 3.1Corpus: CORpus of English as a Foreign Language (COREFL)
    • 3.2Annotation scheme
    • 3.3Tagging procedure and analysis
  • 4.Results and discussion
    • 4.1General results
    • 4.2Progressive -ing
    • 4.3Contrasting be: Copula vs. auxiliary
    • 4.4Articles
    • 4.5Comparing plural, 3rd person singular, and possessive
    • 4.6Contrasting past regular -ed vs. past irregular
    • 4.7Historical present or past tense?
    • 4.8Summary of results
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
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