From words to chunks …

WHAT IS VOCABULARY?

WHAT IS LEXIS ?

It refers mainly to single words, e.g. market and sometimes to very tightly linked 2 or 3 words combinations , e.g. stock market.

VOCABULARY

The concept of lexis is bigger. It refers to our “internal database” of words and complete “ready made” fixed or semifixed typical combinations of words.

lexis

a) Traditional single words vocabulary items (words)

b) Common “going together” patterns of words (collocations)

c) Longer combinations of words that are typically used together as if they were a single item. (chunks)

Lexis

I like looking for bits and pieces like old second-hand record players and doing them up to look like new. 20, 21?

What is a word ?

Content words and function words

Traditionally, function words belonged to the domain of Grammar Teaching, while the Teaching of Vocabulary was more concerned with content words.

What is a word ?

A lexical approach to language teaching foregrounds vocabulary learning, both in the form of individual, high frequency words, and in the form of word combinations (chunks)

How words go together and in context.

Lexical approach

a syllabus should be organised around meanings

the most frequent words encode the most frequent meanings and

words typically co-occur with other words

these co-ocurences are an aid to fluency

Lexical approach: principles

The coining of new words never stops. Nor

does the acquisition of words.

We are constantly learning new words and learning new meanings for old words.

What is a word ?

“A deep red in colour. Lush and soft

aroma with plums and blackberries. The mouthfeel is plush and comfortable like an old pair of slippers. The generous finish ends with a grippy earthy aftertaste”

www.ewine.ex.aus

What is a word ?

How to cope with gaps in word knowledge

including unknown words or unfamiliar uses of known words.?

Implication in terms of teaching.

What is a word ?

Two words or a group of words that occur together, that seem to go together with more than just chance frequency. A familiar grouping of words that habitaully appear together and convey by association

sour milk . butter? catch a bus taxi? record / set He set the junior record.

What is a collocation?

djective + noun a difficult decision Verb + noun keep a promise Noun + noun radio station Verb + adverb examine

thoroughly Adverb + adjective extremely

inconvenient

What is a collocation?

Chunk of tuna?? Cheese, bread ?

What is a “chunk”

Chunk of language: sequence

of words which native speakers feel is the natural and preferred way of expressing a particular idea or purpose

only time will…….

What is a “chunk”

Lexical chunks, chunk of

language, chunk spotting, chunking-oriented teaching, chunkiness

What is a “chunk” ?

Even when words are not joined to form

compounds, we have seen that groups of more than one word such as bits and pieces can function as a meaningful unit with a fixed or semi-fixed form .

Technically these are known as multi-word units, often called “lexical chunks”

What is a “chunk” ?

CONTENTS EXTRACTED FROM

Teach Vocabulary Scott Thornbury Longman, 2002

Vocabulary Learning and Teaching (Part of reading assignment) Jeanette S. Decarrico

What is Lexis. (Part of reading assignment) Jim Scrivner

….FROM WORDS TO CHUNKS