二語學習者能否像母語者一樣，從脈絡猜出詞語的意思？

對於母語者而言，脈絡中有一個不認識的詞語而其它都是認識的詞語是常見的狀況；而二語學習者則可能是在一個段落裡頭就有無數的個不認識的詞語。當段落中有多個不認識的詞語時，就很容易迷路或誤導 (Folse, 2002; Folse & Briggs, 2007)。即是母語者在脈絡下去猜測新詞的詞義，也不見得能夠受益於脈絡(Schatz & Baldwin, 1986)。(Folse, 2004)認為要求二語學習者去從脈絡中猜出新詞的詞義是沒有道理的。

學習第二語言的時候，使用翻譯真的不好嗎？

有許多的實證研究都證明第一語言的翻譯在第二語言學習有其價值。

Hulstijn,Hollander and Greidanus (1996)比較閱讀文章旁邊用學生的一語和二語的注釋(marginal gloss)，結果發現以學生的一語比較容易幫助學習，Laufer and Shmueli (1997)也呼應這樣的結果；Lotto and De Groot (1998) 則比較以第一語言和圖片作為示意的情況，結果發現以學生的一語比圖片的呈現，學生對於新詞記得更久(retention)；Grace (1998)則發現英語母語者學法語的時候，學習者認為在能夠有一語的情況下，比較容易確認正確的意思；Prince (1996)發現，透過一語翻譯的情況對於程度較差的學習者而言，比較容易能夠去回想(recall)起新詞。

這並不是說學習二語一定要依靠第一語言翻譯，第一語言之所以有價值，在於其能夠讓學習者將新知識和舊知識連結在一起，去激發已經穩固的詞彙網絡。學習新詞的時候，之所以要激發先前的知識的因為它以經是個連結綿密的資訊網，一但新的詞彙能夠整合到這個資訊網裡頭，只要有一點點連結，學習者就容易喚回詞彙。許多研究都支持這樣子的說法(Stahl, 1983; Stoller & Grabe, 1993; Martin,Martin & Ying, 2002; Schmitt and Schmitt (1995) 。

References

Grace, C. A. (1998). Retention of Word Meanings Inferred from Context and Sentence-Level Translations: Implications for the Design of Beginning-Level CALL Software. The Modern Language Journal, 82(4), 533-544.

Hulstijn, J. H., Hollander, M. & Greidanus, T. (1996). Incidental vocabulary learning by advanced foreign language students: The influence of marginal glosses, dictionary use, and reoccurrence of unknown words. The modern language journal, 80(3), 327-339.

Laufer, B. & Shmueli, K. (1997). Memorizing new words: Does teaching have anything to do with it?. RELC journal, 28(1), 89-108.

Lotto, L. & De Groot, A. (1998). Effects of learning method and word type on acquiring vocabulary in an unfamiliar language. Language learning, 48(1), 31-69.

Martin, M. A., Martin, S. H. & Ying, W. (2002). The Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy in the ESL Classroom. TESOL Journal, 11(2), 34-35.

Olsen, S. (1999). Errors and compensatory strategies: A study of grammar and vocabulary in texts written by Norwegian learners of English. System, 27(2), 191-205.

Prince, P. (1996). Second language vocabulary learning: The role of context versus translations as a function of proficiency. The modern language journal, 80(4), 478-493.

Schmitt, N. & Schmitt, D. (1995). Vocabulary notebooks: Theoretical underpinnings and practical suggestions. ELT journal, 49(2), 133-143.

Stahl, S. (1983). Differential word knowledge and reading comprehension. Journal of Reading Behavior, 15(4), 33-50.

Stoller, F. & Grabe, W. (1993). Implications for L2 vocabulary acquisition and instruction from L1 vocabulary research. In (), Second Language Reading and Vocabulary Learning. Ablex.

Tinkham, T. (1993). The effect of semantic clustering on the learning of second language vocabulary. System, 21(3), 371-380.

Tinkham, T. (1997). The effects of semantic and thematic clustering on the learning of second language vocabulary. Second language research, 13(2), 138-163.

Waring, R. (1997). The negative effects of learning words in semantic sets: A replication. System, 25(2), 261-274.

呈現新詞的時候，應該以語義組合還是主題組合？

大多數的課程或教材在呈現詞彙的時候，會以語義組合呈現，例如：家庭成員、動物或星期，比較少課程會以一個主題來包含新詞。關於以主題組合的例子可以見這個網頁。

語言教師呈現詞彙的時候，以語義組合或主題組合來呈現比較好呢？Tinkham (1993)發現，當學習者以語義組合來學習新詞的時候會比較困難。Waring (1997)則發現日語母語者學習英語二語時，學習相關的詞彙組合，比起學習完全不相關的詞彙組合，前者比後者需要多花一半的時間。而Tinkham (1997)則發現語義組合對於學習有負面影響，而主題組合能夠促進學習。Olsen (1999)則發現挪威的英語二語學習者容易被語音相似而混淆，例如sea和see或want和won’t。

References

Grace, C. A. (1998). Retention of Word Meanings Inferred from Context and Sentence-Level Translations: Implications for the Design of Beginning-Level CALL Software. The Modern Language Journal, 82(4), 533-544.

Hulstijn, J. H., Hollander, M. & Greidanus, T. (1996). Incidental vocabulary learning by advanced foreign language students: The influence of marginal glosses, dictionary use, and reoccurrence of unknown words. The modern language journal, 80(3), 327-339.

Laufer, B. & Shmueli, K. (1997). Memorizing new words: Does teaching have anything to do with it?. RELC journal, 28(1), 89-108.

Lotto, L. & De Groot, A. (1998). Effects of learning method and word type on acquiring vocabulary in an unfamiliar language. Language learning, 48(1), 31-69.

Martin, M. A., Martin, S. H. & Ying, W. (2002). The Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy in the ESL Classroom. TESOL Journal, 11(2), 34-35.

Olsen, S. (1999). Errors and compensatory strategies: A study of grammar and vocabulary in texts written by Norwegian learners of English. System, 27(2), 191-205.

Prince, P. (1996). Second language vocabulary learning: The role of context versus translations as a function of proficiency. The modern language journal, 80(4), 478-493.

Schmitt, N. & Schmitt, D. (1995). Vocabulary notebooks: Theoretical underpinnings and practical suggestions. ELT journal, 49(2), 133-143.

Stahl, S. (1983). Differential word knowledge and reading comprehension. Journal of Reading Behavior, 15(4), 33-50.

Stoller, F. & Grabe, W. (1993). Implications for L2 vocabulary acquisition and instruction from L1 vocabulary research. In (), Second Language Reading and Vocabulary Learning. Ablex.

Tinkham, T. (1993). The effect of semantic clustering on the learning of second language vocabulary. System, 21(3), 371-380.

Tinkham, T. (1997). The effects of semantic and thematic clustering on the learning of second language vocabulary. Second language research, 13(2), 138-163.

Waring, R. (1997). The negative effects of learning words in semantic sets: A replication. System, 25(2), 261-274.

參加詞彙課程的學生對於詞彙學習方法的態度有什麼樣的改變？

大多數語言研究者和教師對於詞彙的關注較少，因為在封閉的系統下，例如：句法和語音，人們是比較容易進行歸納和演繹(Richards, 1976; Laufer, 1986)。但是，比較大學二語學習者的偏誤比例時，卻發現詞彙的偏誤高於語法的3倍到4倍(Meara, 1984)。學習者的詞彙能力和其學術成就有很大相關，特別影響閱讀的表現(Laufer, 1986; Qian, 2002)。Paribakht and Wesche (1996)指出，在以理解為基礎的上所進行的課程，即能夠對學習者的詞彙能力有大大的提升。