Article published In:
ITL - International Journal of Applied LinguisticsVol. 164 (2012) ► pp.1–21
The effects of synonym generation and oral output on incidental and intentional vocabulary learning
Ehsan Rassaei | Department of foreign languages, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch, Shiraz, Iran
Recent research has shown that semantically oriented tasks may have unfavorable effects on the acquisition of L2 vocabulary. It is argued that paying attention to semantic properties of target words exhaust memory capacity to process both form and meaning. Hoping to throw further light on this issue, the current study, investigated and compared the effects of semantic elaboration via synonym generation and meaningful output production via elicited oral imitation task on the learning of L2 words in both incidental and intentional contexts by Persian EFL learners. One hundred and twenty two L2 learners of English who were homogenous in terms of the target words were randomly assigned to four experimental groups: (a) semantically elaborated intentional learning, (b) semantically elaborated incidental learning, (c) output intentional learning, and (d) output incidental learning. The results of analyses of variance revealed that 1.Subject benfited more fromoral output than from semantic elaboration in the acqusition of target words, 2. Semantically oriented tasks have some negative effects on the acquisition of target words, and 3. Intentional settings are more effective than incidental settings for L2 word learning.
References (51)
Barcroft, J. (2002). Semantic and structural elaboration in L2 lexical acquisition. Language Learning, 521, 323–363. 
(2003). Effects of questions about word meaning during L2 Spanish lexical acquisition learning. Modern Language Journal, 871, 546–561.
(2004). Effects of sentence writing in L2 lexical acquisition. Second Language Research, 201, 303–334.
(2009). Effects of synonym generation on incidental and intentional L2 vocabulary learning during reading. TESOL Quarterly, 43(1), 79–103.
Coady, J. (1997). 12 vocabulary acquisition: a synthesis of the research. InJ. Coady, and T. Huckin (Eds.), Second language vocabulary acquisition (pp. 273–290). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Craik, F. I. M. & Tulving, E. (1975). Depth of processing and retention of words in episodic memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 1041, 268–294.
Eckerth, J. & Tavakoli, P. (2012). The effects of word exposure frequency and elaboration of word processing on incidental L2 vocabulary acquisition through reading. Language Teaching Research, 16(2), 227–252.
Ellis, R. (2002). Does form-focused instruction affect the acquisition of implicit knowledge? Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 24(2), 223–236.
Ellis, R., Loewen, S., Elder, C., Erlam, R., Philp, J. & Reinders, H. (2009). Implicit and explicit knowledge in a second language learning, testing and teaching. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Ellis, R. & Beaton, A. (1993). Psycholinguists determinants of foreign language vocabulary learning. Language Learning, 431, 559–617.
Ellis, R. & He, X. (1999). The roles of modified input and output in the incidental acquisition of word meanings. Studiesin Second Language Acquisition, 21(2), 285–301.
De la Fuente, M. J. (2002). Negotiation and oral acquisition of L2 vocabulary. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 24(1), 81–112.
De la Fuente, M.J. (2006). Classroom L2 vocabulary: the role of pedagogical tasks and form-focused instruction. Language Teaching Research, 101, 263–295.
Folse, K. S. (2006). The effect of type of written exercise on L2 vocabulary retention. Tesol Quarterly, 40(2), 273–293.
Gass, S. (1999). Incidental vocabulary learning. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 21(2), 319–333.
Gass, S. M. & Alvarez Torres, M. J. (2005). Attention When? An investigation of ordering effect of input and interaction. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 271, 1–31.
Huckin, T., & Coady, J. (1999). Incidental vocabulary acquisition in a second language. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 21(2), 181–193.
Hulstijn, J. (1992). Retention of inferred and given word meanings: experiments in incidental vocabulary learning. In P. J.Arnaud and H. Bejoint (Eds.), Vocabulary and applied linguistics (pp. 113-125). London: McMillan.
Hulstijn, J.H. (1993) When do foreign-language readers look up the meaning of unfamiliar words? The influence of task and learner variables. Modern Language Journal, 77 (2), 139–147.
Hulstijn, J. (2001). Intention and incidental second language vocabulary learning: A reappraisal of elaboration, rehearsal, and automaticity. In P. Robinson (Ed.), Cognition and second language instruction (pp. 258–286). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hulstjin, J. (2003). Incidental and intentional learning. In C. Doughty & M Long (Eds.), The handbook of second language acquisition (pp. 349–381). Oxford: Blackwell.
Hulstijn, J. H., & Laufer, B. (2002). Some empirical evidence for the involvement load hypothesis in vocabulary acquisition. Language Learning, 51(3), 539–558.
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.
Izumi, S. (2002). Output, input enhancement, and the noticing hypothesis. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 24(4), 541–577.
Keating, G. D. (2008). Task effectiveness and word learning in a second language: The involvement load hypothesis on trial. Language Teaching Research, 12(3), 365–386.
Kim, Y. (2008). The role of task-induced involvement and learner proficiency in L2 vocabulary acquisition. Language Learning, 221, 285–325.
Laufer, B. (1997). The lexical plight in second language reading: Words you don't know, words you think you know, and words you can't guess. In J. Coady, and T. Huckin, (Eds.), Second language vocabulary acquisition (pp.20–34). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
(1998). The development of passive and active vocabulary: Same or different? Applied Linguistics, 191,255–271.
(2001). Reading, word-focused activities and incidental vocabulary acquisition in a second language. Prospect, 161, 44–54.
Laufer, B. & Hulstjin, J. (2001). Incidental vocabulary acquisition in a second language: the construct of Task-Induced Involvement. Applied Linguistics, 221, 1–26.
Laufer, B. & Paribakht, T. (1998). The relationship between passive and active vocabularies: Effects of language learning context. Language Learning, 481, 365–391.
Laufer, B., & Shmueli, K.. (1997). Memorizing new words: Does teaching have anything to do with it?. RELC journal, 28(1), 89–108.
Laufer, B., Elder, C., Hill, K., & Congdon, P. (2004). Size and strength: do we need both to measure vocabulary knowledge?. Language Testing, 21(2), 202–226.
Nation, P. (1990). Teaching and learning vocabulary. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
(2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Nation, P. & Meara, P. (2002) Vocabulary. In N. Schmitt (Ed.), An introduction to applied linguistics (pp.45–54). London: Arnold.
Paribakht, T. S. & Wesche, M. (1997). Vocabulary enhancement activities and reading for meaning in second language vocabulary acquisition. In J. Coady and T. Huckin (Eds.), Second language vocabulary acquisition (pp. 174–200). Amsterdam: Benjamins.
Peters, E., Hulstijn, J. H., Sercu, L., & Lutjeharms, M. (2009). Learning L2 German vocabulary through reading: The effect of three enhancement techniques compared. Language learning, 59(1), 113–151.
Pressley, M., Levin, J. R., Kuiper, N. A., Bryant, S. L., & Michener, S.. (1982). Mnemonic versus nonmnemonic vocabulary-learning strategies: Additional comparisons. Journal of Educational Psychology, 74(5), 693.
Schmidt, R. (1990). The role of consciousness in second language learning. Applied Linguistics, 111, 129–158.
(2001). Attention. In P. Robinson (Ed.), Cognition and second language instruction (pp. 3–32). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Schmitt, N. (2000). Vocabulary in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Schmitt, N., & McCarthy, M. (Eds.). (1997). Vocabulary: Description, acquisition and pedagogy (Vol. 20351). Cambridge: Cambridge university press.
Swain, M. (1985). Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensible input and comprehensible output in its development. In S. Gass & C. Madden (Eds.), Input in second language acquisition (pp.235–253). Cambridge, MA: Newbury House.
(1995). Three functions of output in second language learning. In G. Cook & B. Seidlhofer (Eds.), Principle and practice in applied linguistics: Studies in honor of H. G. Widdowson (pp. 125–144). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
(2000). The output hypothesis and beyond: Mediating acquisition through collaborative dialogue. In J. Lantolf (Ed.), Sociocultural theory and second language learning (pp. 97–114). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
(2005). The Output hypothesis: Theory and research. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (pp. 471–483). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Webb, S. (2005). Receptive and productive vocabulary learning. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 271, 33–52.
(2007). Learning word pairs and glossed sentences: the effects of a single context on vocabulary knowledge. Language Teaching Research, 11(1), 63–81.
Wesche, M. & Paribakht, T. S. (1999). Introduction. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 21(02), 175–180.
Wode, H. (1999). Incidental vocabulary acquisition in the foreign language classroom. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 21(2), 243–258.
Cited by (1)
Cited by one other publication
Gwang-Yoon Goh
2016. Exploring the Relationship between the Amount of Reading and Incidental Vocabulary Learning. English Language and Linguistics 22:2 ► pp. 19 ff. 
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 6 august 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.