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Article published In: Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education
Vol. 4:2 (2019) ► pp.145–167

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Quantity of target language contact in study abroad and knowledge of multiword expressions

A Usage-Based approach to L2 development

 | Stockholm University
Published online: 24 July 2019
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https://doi.org/10.1075/sar.18001.arv
Abstract
This study takes a Usage-Based approach to the learning of French multiword expressions (MWEs) in Study Abroad (SA). MWEs are conventionalized form-meaning mappings, for example du coup (‘and so’) and en fait (‘actually’), and are assumed to be learned through repeated exposure. Based on this assumption, the study adopted a pretest/posttest design to explore how quantity of out-of-class target-language (TL) contact predicted the development of MWE knowledge among 41 Swedish students during a semester in France. MWE knowledge was assessed by a modified cloze test based on transcriptions of informal language use (www​.clapi​.fr) and TL contact information was obtained through the Language Engagement Questionnaire (McManus, K., Mitchell, R., & Tracy-Ventura, N. (2014). Understanding insertion and integration in a study abroad context: The case of English-speaking sojourners in France. Revue Française de Linguistique Appliquée, 19(2), 97–116. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). Contrary to expectations, the findings showed that quantity of out-of-class TL contact did not predict gains in MWE knowledge and add further counterevidence for the role of sheer quantity of TL contact for linguistic development in SA.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Multiword expressions
    • 2.2Usage-Based approaches to language learning
    • 2.3Previous research
  • 3.The study
    • 3.1Participants
    • 3.2Procedure
    • 3.3Instruments
      • 3.3.1Background questionnaire
      • 3.3.2The Language Engagement Questionnaire
      • 3.3.3MWE test
        • Test construct and test format
        • Test material
        • Identification of MWEs including establishing frequency of target items
        • Piloting of test, test reliability and exemplar items
        • Scoring principles
      • 3.3.4LEXTALE_FR
    • 3.4Data analysis
  • 4.Results
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
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