Investigating the Role of L2 Language Proficiency in Word Association Behavior of L2 Learners: A Case of Iranian EFL Learners

Abstract

Abstract-In the last few decades word association research has provided precise insight into the development and organization of the mental lexicon; however, there is still sufficient ground for more exploration to gain a better understanding of how L2 learners' mental lexicon might be organized and how word association behavior may vary according to L2 proficiency level. This paper was intended to investigate the development of mental lexicon through a psycholinguistic experiment and more specifically, to explore Index Terms-mental lexicon, language proficiency, word association behavior, syntagmatic relation, paradigmatic relation

Word association research and the L2 lexicon

“…if they are using their L2 (Norrby & Håkansson 2007;Zareva 2007;Håkansson & Norrby 2010) ! if they are using their L1 (Fitzpatrick 2006;Fitzpatrick & Izura 2011) o if they are learning their L2 as a foreign rather than second language (Norrby & Håkansson 2007) o the less proficient they are (Söderman 1993;Orita 2002;Zareva 2007;Zareva & Wolter 2012;Khazaeenezhad & Alibabaee 2013) o if the cue words are adjectives (Nissen & Henriksen 2006)  The likelihood that a participant will produce a synonym response is increased:…”

“…Indicative findings from category-based WA research, with examples of studies reporting them, include: In the majority of studies, paradigmatic or meaning-based responses are most prevalent, and clang or form-based responses least prevalent.The likelihood that a participant will produce a paradigmatic response or a meaning-based response is increased: if they know the cue word well enough to use it in a sentence (Wolter, 2001)if the (L2) cue word is relatively familiar (Söderman, 1993; Wolter, 2001)if they are an expert user (L1 or advanced L2) of the language of the WA task (Zareva, 2007; Jiang & Zhang, 2019)the more proficient in L2 they are (Söderman, 1993; Orita, 2002; Zareva, 2007; Zareva & Wolter, 2012; Khazaeenezhad & Alibabaee, 2013)if the cue words are nouns (Nissen & Henriksen, 2006)the older they are (Namei, 2004)if they are adult (Cremer, Dingshoff, de Beer, & Schoonen, 2011)if they are a heritage L2 speaker (Kim, 2013). The likelihood that a participant will produce a clang or orthographic/phonological response is increased: the younger they are (Namei, 2004)if they are using their L2 (Wolter, 2001; Namei, 2004; Fitzpatrick, 2006; Norrby & Håkansson, 2007; Hui, 2011; Jiang & Zhang, 2019)if they are learning L2 outside the target language environment (Håkansson & Norrby, 2010)the less proficient in L2 they are (Söderman, 1993; Orita, 2002; Khazaeenezhad & Alibabaee, 2013)if the cue word is relatively unfamiliar or newly acquired (Söderman, 1993; Wolter, 2001). The likelihood that a participant will produce a syntagmatic/collocational/position-based response is increased: if they are using their L2 (Norrby & Håkansson, 2007; Zareva, 2007; Håkansson & Norrby, 2010)if they are using their L1 (Fitzpatrick, 2006; Fitzpatrick & Izura, 2011)if they are learning their L2 as a foreign rather than second language (Norrby & Håkansson, 2007)the less proficient they are (Söderman, 1993; Orita, 2002; Zareva, 2007; Zareva & Wolter, 2012; Khazaeenezhad & Alibabaee, 2013)if the cue words are adjectives (Nissen & Henriksen, 2006).…”

“…The likelihood that a participant will produce a clang or orthographic/phonological response is increased: the younger they are (Namei, 2004)if they are using their L2 (Wolter, 2001; Namei, 2004; Fitzpatrick, 2006; Norrby & Håkansson, 2007; Hui, 2011; Jiang & Zhang, 2019)if they are learning L2 outside the target language environment (Håkansson & Norrby, 2010)the less proficient in L2 they are (Söderman, 1993; Orita, 2002; Khazaeenezhad & Alibabaee, 2013)if the cue word is relatively unfamiliar or newly acquired (Söderman, 1993; Wolter, 2001). The likelihood that a participant will produce a syntagmatic/collocational/position-based response is increased: if they are using their L2 (Norrby & Håkansson, 2007; Zareva, 2007; Håkansson & Norrby, 2010)if they are using their L1 (Fitzpatrick, 2006; Fitzpatrick & Izura, 2011)if they are learning their L2 as a foreign rather than second language (Norrby & Håkansson, 2007)the less proficient they are (Söderman, 1993; Orita, 2002; Zareva, 2007; Zareva & Wolter, 2012; Khazaeenezhad & Alibabaee, 2013)if the cue words are adjectives (Nissen & Henriksen, 2006). The likelihood that a participant will produce a synonym response is increased: if they are using their L1 (Fitzpatrick, 2006; Fitzpatrick & Izura, 2011)the more proficient they are (Khazaeenezhad & Alibabaee, 2013).…”

“…The likelihood that a participant will produce a syntagmatic/collocational/position-based response is increased: if they are using their L2 (Norrby & Håkansson, 2007; Zareva, 2007; Håkansson & Norrby, 2010)if they are using their L1 (Fitzpatrick, 2006; Fitzpatrick & Izura, 2011)if they are learning their L2 as a foreign rather than second language (Norrby & Håkansson, 2007)the less proficient they are (Söderman, 1993; Orita, 2002; Zareva, 2007; Zareva & Wolter, 2012; Khazaeenezhad & Alibabaee, 2013)if the cue words are adjectives (Nissen & Henriksen, 2006). The likelihood that a participant will produce a synonym response is increased: if they are using their L1 (Fitzpatrick, 2006; Fitzpatrick & Izura, 2011)the more proficient they are (Khazaeenezhad & Alibabaee, 2013). The likelihood that a participant will produce a loose conceptual association response is increased: if they are using their L2 (Fitzpatrick, 2006; but not supported by Kim, 2013).…”

“…The likelihood that a participant will produce a paradigmatic response or a meaning-based response is increased: if they know the cue word well enough to use it in a sentence (Wolter, 2001)if the (L2) cue word is relatively familiar (Söderman, 1993; Wolter, 2001)if they are an expert user (L1 or advanced L2) of the language of the WA task (Zareva, 2007; Jiang & Zhang, 2019)the more proficient in L2 they are (Söderman, 1993; Orita, 2002; Zareva, 2007; Zareva & Wolter, 2012; Khazaeenezhad & Alibabaee, 2013)if the cue words are nouns (Nissen & Henriksen, 2006)the older they are (Namei, 2004)if they are adult (Cremer, Dingshoff, de Beer, & Schoonen, 2011)if they are a heritage L2 speaker (Kim, 2013). …”