Prof. Marina Dodigovic
University of Slavonski Brod, Croatia /University of Adelaide, Australia
Title: Lexical Availability in Australian English: What the research says
Abstract:
While it is of utmost importance to give language learners adequate exposure to useful vocabulary, the question remains as to which vocabulary is really useful. One of the major achievements of the 20th century has been the ability to create electronic text corpora and derive frequency-based word lists. Hence, the main criterion for selection of words for the foreign language curriculum is still its frequency. However, this is contrasted with Lexical Availability, or native speakers’ ability to recall certain words sooner than the others. Such words are deemed to have a high lexical availability value, which should be used to discriminate between words of the same lexical frequency.
Australian English is a special case, where Lexical Availability should have the precedence before frequency for particular Australian expressions, which may not necessarily be represented across English language corpora. Yet such words are immensely important to thousands of overseas students applying to enrol in Australian education programs. This talk describes a study of Lexical Availability of specific local words in Australian English, and the assessment of their usefulness for overseas students.
Biography:
Marina Dodigovic, PhD, is a honorary professor of English at the University of Slavonski Brod and an affiliate of the University of Adelaide. She has taught in MA TESOL programs internationally and conducted relevant research, which is documented in a number of books and peer reviewed journal articles to her name. Her most recent research is directed toward vocabulary learning.