Teaching & learning vocabulary

Lesson 3: Clarifying meaningCollocations & Multi-word units

Leo Selivan

Holon Pedagogic Centre

15 March 2015

Same objects – different words

American English

jar 19bottle 16container 15can 5jug 3tube

1box

1Malt, B.C., Sloman, S.A. & Gennari, S. (2003). Speaking vs. thinking about objects and actions.

Argentinian Spanish

Chinese Mandarin

Ping2 40Guan4 10Tong3 5He2 4Guan3 1

frasco/28

frasquito envase 6bidon 6aerosol 3botella 2pote 2lata 2tarro 2

Malt, Sloman, & Gennari (2003)

L1 and L2 meanings

Different languages classify things differently (bus) stop

תחנה (railway) station

לצייר (to) paint

לצבוע

L1 and L2 meanings

Different languages classify things differently

Abstract concepts are often perceived differently in different cultures

e.g. blame, guilt, apology, repent

L1 and L2 meanings

Different languages classify things differently

Abstract concepts are often perceived differently in different cultures

Words of two languages do not correspond completely, i.e. there is rarely a one-to-one correspondence

Close or distant?

He runs 10 miles every day.She runs a restaurant.

He left Likud and set up his own party.Mike is throwing a party on Friday.

Her hands were rough from hard work.I’ve had a rough day today.

I have to go to the bank.A man was fishing on the opposite bank.

Polysemy

I have to ______ the dog out for a walkShe ______ advantage of the situation.I ______ it as a complimentLet’s ______ the bus Do you mind _____ing my photo?How do you ______ your coffee? With or without

milk?Who do you ______ me for?!

The more frequent – the more meanings

Delexicalised verbs

takegetdo

makeputsetgo

I have to take the dog out for a walk

She took advantage of the situation.

I took it as a complimentLet’s take the bus Do you mind taking my photo?How do you take your coffee?

With or without milk?Who do you take me for?!

Word meanings: conclusion

Words are signs arbitrarily connected to meanings

Polysemous nature (some closely related; others not)

The more frequent a word is the more meanings it has

Meaning is dynamic; it changes over time (especially due to technology)

Cognates may help or hinder L2 learning

Mistakes caused by negative transfer * take a place (German Platz = place or seat)

* Very often he used to sit on that bank. (German Bank = bank or bench)

* I am lucky that you have invited me. (German glücklich = lucky or happy)

From Swan, M. (1997). The Influence of the mother tongue on L2 vocabulary acquisition and use

Clarifying meaning

Clarifying meaning

Using pictures/drawings/flashcards Using photos/Google images Using mime/Acting it out Using realia Using L1 Giving examples Giving an example situation Using Concept Checking Questions

Adapted from Chia Suan Chong’s blog:www.chiasuanchong.com

Concept Checking Questions (CCQs)

Cosy

If you are cosy, are you usually warm or cold?If you are cosy, are you comfortable or uncomfortable?

Is a castle cosy? (No.)What kind of house might be cosy? (A small, comfortable one.)

Adapted from Rachael Robert’s blog:http://elt-resourceful.com/

Concept Checking Questions (CCQs)

He managed to open the door.Identify the meaning:

manage = try, not easy, success at the end

Now turn it into questions:Did he try? Was it easy?

Did he open in the end? (note that Ss might not know succeed/success)

What’s the problem with asking:Do you all understand what ________ means?

Which technique would you use?

Using pictures/drawings/flashcards

Using photos/Google images Using mime/Acting it out Using realia Using L1 Giving examples Giving an example situation Using Concept Checking

Questions

Adapted from Chia Suan Chong’s blog:www.chiasuanchong.com

1. to live2. to pay a fine3. convenient4. to go on strike5. to sip a cup of coffee6. credit card7. to be hungry8. suntan  vs  sunburn9. heavy rain10. heavy bag