When Knowing Grammar Depends on Knowing Vocabulary: Native-Speaker Grammaticality Judgements of Sentences with Real and Unreal Words
Abstract
Abstract: This study examined how the presence of real versus unreal words in sentences affected the ability of native English speakers to make accurate grammaticality judgements and forced-choice decisions for sentences with violations in the use of dative alternation and comparatives. Sentences with dative alternation violations contained polysyllabic verbs (*John explained Mary the plan) that were real (e.g., explained), similar (e.g., explunned), and dissimilar (e.g., tidnopped) to real verbs. Sentences with comparative violations contained polysyllabic adjectives (*Robert is demandinger than Allen) that were real (e.g., demanding), similar (e.g., demunding), and dissimilar (e.g., natormunt) to real adjectives. Accuracy of grammaticality judgements was much lower for sentences with unreal words than real words. For sentences with comparatives, accuracy also was higher in sentences with similar words than with dissimilar words, demonstrating a graded effect for partial access. These findings provide support for theoretical accounts that associate knowledge of these structures with knowledge of real words and for instruction oriented toward the development of vocabulary knowledge.
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Previous studies have identified various types of errors made by Arabic EFL learners, including grammatical, lexical, and word combination errors.
“Moreover, previous studies by Albelihi(2022), Barcroft (2007), and Salem (2007) have identified various types of errors made by Arabic EFL learners, including grammatical, lexical, and word combination errors.”
From Overcoming error fossilization in academic writing: strategies for Saudi EFL learners to move beyond the plateau (2024) · cites this paper as Barcroft (2007)
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- Authors
- Barcroft, J.
- Corresponding author
- Barcroft, Joe
- ORCID
- Barcroft, Joe
- Venue
- The Canadian Modern Language Review
- Published
- 2007-03
- Volume
- 63
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 313-343
- ISSN
- 0008-4506 (ISSN-L)
- 1710-1131
- OpenAlex
- W2031101444
- Semantic Scholar
- c13cd8848a9a4099053f9125372c27b3ba462298
- Cited by
- 14
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 1.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Canadian Modern Language Review/ La Revue canadienne des langues vivantes (publishedVersion)
- Project Muse (Johns Hopkins University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Second Language Acquisition and Learning
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
- Keywords
- grammaticality judgment, dative alternation, comparative constructions, vocabulary knowledge, native speakers, English grammar, second language teaching
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