Second language listening and vocabulary knowledge are closely related: vocabulary knowledge is required for successful listening, and listening is a prime vehicle for the acquisition of vocabulary. However, a look at the literature reveals surprisingly little research on both sides of this relationship. This thesis attempts to contribute to filling this gap by exploring both in turn. Studies 1 and 2 explore vocabulary knowledge in listening. Study 1 assesses learners' knowledge of the meaning of isolated word forms, and compares this to their knowledge of these same words in written and spoken context (i.e. in reading and listening tasks). This reveals a gap between knowledge of isolated and contextualised words, as well as between knowledge in the two modalities. Study 2 directly compares knowledge of isolated written and spoken word forms, which shows more similarities between the two than found by previous research. It also assesses knowledge of these same spoken word forms in context (i.e. continuous speech), and again finds a gap between knowledge of isolated and contextualised spoken vocabulary. Studies 3 and 4 focus on vocabulary knowledge from listening. Few studies have explored the incidental learning of vocabulary from listening, or how listeners go about inferring the meaning of unknown words. Study 3 assesses Ll and L2 listeners' success in inferencing word meaning, and also considers several variables that might affect their success. Study 4 measures L2 listeners' acquisition of vocabulary through spoken input. It takes a more thorough approach than previous research, in that it assesses the learning of dimensions besides the form-meaning link. Overall, the studies in this thesis emphasise the need of more research attention to spoken vocabulary knowledge, especially in continuous speech. They also reveal the potential of listening for expanding vocabulary knowledge, and provide insights into factors affecting success in inferencing and acquisition.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:659194 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Zeeland, Hilde van |
| Publisher | University of Nottingham |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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