Vocabulary Studies in L1 and L2 Development: The Interface between Theory and Practice

Dear Colleagues,

Vocabulary research has experienced substantial growth since the late 1990s, resulting in a proliferation of studies that span a range of diverse subdisciplines and investigate the intricate nature of vocabulary (e.g., Fitzpatrick & Clenton, 2017; Uchihara et al., 2023). This remarkable expansion underscores the complexity inherent in the study of vocabulary.

During this period, we have seen a wide range of studies that have investigated the relationship between vocabulary and various language competencies. These include studies on the relationship between vocabulary and productive language skills, such as speaking and fluency (e.g., Suzuki & Kormos, 2020; Tavakoli et al., 2020; Thompson et al., 2023) as well as writing (e.g., Laufer & Nation, 1995; González-Fernández & Schmitt, 2000; Mizumoto & Eguchi, 2023). We have also seen studies that have looked at vocabulary in the context of receptive skills such as reading (Laufer & Ravenhorst-Kalovski, 2010) and listening (Stæhr, 2009), along with volumes that encompass all the four skills (e.g., Clenton & Booth, 2020).

Vocabulary studies also encompass a wide range of research topics, including investigations into cross-linguistic influences (Elgort et al., 2023), explorations into the extent to which multi-word units should take a more central role in the field (Tavakoli & Uchihara, 2020), and examinations of the relationship between the different modalities of vocabulary knowledge (Laufer & Goldstein, 2004), as well as studies on collocations (Eguchi & Kyle, 2023), word definitions (Gyllstad et al., 2023), flash cards (Nakata, 2019), artificial intelligence (Mizumoto & Eguchi, 2023), and eye-tracking (Wang & Pellicer-Sánchez, 2023). Underpinning this diverse array of studies are a rich and varied collection of seminal contributions that have emerged since the early 2000s. Recent volumes have shed light on these studies by highlighting the intricacies surrounding vocabulary acquisition (Webb & Nation, 2017) and by presenting a comprehensive overview of indispensable tools for advancing vocabulary research (Meara & Miralpeix, 2017).

This Special Issue seeks to build upon these previous works by presenting a collection of recent vocabulary studies in L1 and L2 development that explore the dynamic interplay that exists between theory and practice. We welcome papers focusing on L1 and L2 vocabulary development, including quantitative, experimental, cross-sectional, longitudinal, mixed-method studies. We also encourage submissions that provide a fine-grained or nuanced analysis that fosters a deeper understanding of vocabulary acquisition and its implications for language development.

We are interested in investigating the contribution of variables which may relate to vocabulary studies in L1 and/or L2 development. Proposals can include (but are not exclusive to) diverse tools for assessing vocabulary development, judgement tasks, vocabulary assessments, considering the four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking), cross-linguistic influences, MWE/MWU, word definitions, recall, collocations, flash cards, AI, eye-tracking. In essence, we would welcome submissions of research-oriented papers that relate to any aspect of vocabulary studies.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 400–600 words summarizing their intended contribution before 27 November 2023. Please send it to the guest editors ([email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]) or to Languages editorial office ([email protected]). Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the special issue. Notification of abstract acceptance will be given by 18 December 2023. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer-review.

References

Clenton, J., & Booth, P. (2020). Vocabulary and the four skills: Pedagogy, practice, and implications for teaching vocabulary. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429285400

Eguchi, M., & Kyle, K. (2023). L2 collocation profiles and their relationship with vocabulary proficiency: A learner corpus approach. Journal of Second Language Writing, 60, 100975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2023.100975

Elgort, I., Siyanova-Chanturia, A., & Brysbaert, M. (2023). Cross-language influences in bilingual processing and second language acquisition. John Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/bpa.16

Fitzpatrick, T., & Clenton, J. (2017). Making sense of learner performance on tests of productive vocabulary knowledge. TESOL Quarterly, 51(4), 844–867. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.356

González-Fernández, B., & Schmitt, N. (2020) Word knowledge: Exploring the relationships and order of acquisition of vocabulary knowledge components. Applied Linguistics, 41(4), 481–505. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amy057

Gyllstad, H., Sundqvist, P., Sandlund, E., & Källkvist, M. (2023). Effects of word definitions on meaning recall: A multisite intervention in language-diverse second language English classrooms. Language Learning, 73, 403–444. https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12527

Laufer, B., & Nation, P. (1995). Vocabulary size and use: Lexical richness in L2 written production, Applied Linguistics, 16(3), 307–322. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/16.3.307

Laufer, B., & Goldstein, Z. (2004), Testing vocabulary knowledge: Size, strength, and computer adaptiveness. Language Learning, 54, 399–436. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0023-8333.2004.00260.x

Laufer, B., & Ravenhorst-Kalovski, G.C. (2010). Lexical threshold revisited: Lexical text coverage, learner’s vocabulary size and reading comprehension. Reading in a Foreign Language, 22(1), 15–30.

Meara, P.M. (2002). The rediscovery of vocabulary. Second Language Research, 18(4), 393–407. https://doi.org/10.1191/0267658302sr211xx

Meara, P.M., & Miralpeix, I. (2017). Tools for researching vocabulary. Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783096473

Mizumoto, A., & Eguchi, M. (2023). Exploring the potential of using an AI language model for automated essay scoring. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmal.2023.100050

Nakata, T. (2019). Learning words with flash cards and word cards. In S. Webb (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of vocabulary studies (pp. 304–319). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429291586-20

Suzuki, S., & Kormos, J. (2020). Linguistic dimensions of comprehensibility and perceived fluency: An investigation of complexity, accuracy, and fluency in second language argumentative speech. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 42(1), 143–167. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263119000421

Tavakoli, P., Nakatsuhara, F., & Hunter, A.-M. (2020). Aspects of fluency across assessed levels of speaking proficiency. The Modern Language Journal, 104(1), 169–191. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12620

Tavakoli, P., & Uchihara, T. (2020).To what extent are multiword sequences associated with oral fluency? Language Learning, 70, 506–547. https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12384

Thomson, H., Coxhead, A., Boers, F., & Warren, P. (2023). Increasing use of multi-word expressions in conversation through a fluency workshop. System, 113, 102994. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2023.102994

Uchihara, T., Eguchi, M., Clenton, J., Kyle, K., & Saito, K. (2021). To what extent is collocation knowledge associated with oral proficiency? a corpus-based approach to word association. Language and Speech, 65(2), 311–336. https://doi.org/10.1177/00238309211013865

Wang, A., & Pellicer-Sánchez, A. (2023). Combining eye-tracking and verbal reports in vocabulary research: Benefits and challenges. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 2(3), 100063. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmal.2023.100063

Webb, S., & Nation, P. (2017). How vocabulary is learned. Oxford University Press.

Dr. Jon Clenton
Dr. Gavin Brooks
Prof. Dr. Batia Laufer
Guest Editors

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• vocabulary
• development
• lexical studies
• interface
• theory
• practice