Too chatty

Abstract

The study reported on in this paper uses corpus data in order to examine how upper-intermediate to advanced EFL learners from a wide range of mother tongue backgrounds perform a number of rhetorical functions particularly prominent in academic discourse, and how this compares with native academic writing. In particular, it is shown that one of the problems experienced by EFL learners is that they tend to use features that are more typical of speech than of academic prose, which suggests that they are largely unaware of register differences. Four possible explanations are offered to account for this register confusion, namely the influence of speech, L1 transfer, teaching-induced factors and developmental factors.

Linguistic dimensions of impromptu test essays compared with successful student disciplinary writing: Effects of language background, topic, and L2 proficiency

“…This result suggests that, as non-native speakers become more proficient, they are able to use their expanded linguistic resources in ways that are more preferred in academic writing (see Biber & Gray, 2013, for a similar result). This result may be related to the finding reported by some researchers (e.g., Gilquin & Paquot, 2008) that many English language learners have difficulties learning to transition from oral to written registers, particularly in academic contexts. While this is true of developing NS writers as well (Hall & Navarro, 2011), it may be a lengthier, more complex process for NNS, who may have more limited exposure to both oral and written registers and the lexico-grammatical features that are associated with each (Biber & Gray, 2013).…”

Spoken Corpora and Corpus-Informed Language Pedagogy: Implications Arising From Research

“…As shown by most of the research, learners are generally biased towards written English and register-interference which refers to learners" use of patterns from written language in their speech or vice versa is at work most of the time (Gilquin & Paquot, 2008) (Aijmer, 2002). To offer a solution for this, learners could be provided with consciousness-raising activities in speaking classes.…”

Oppimiskontekstin vaikutus oppijanpragmatiikkaan: astemääritteet leksikaalisina nallekarhuina

“…Osittain kyse voi olla myös puhutun ja kirjoitetun kielen rekisterien sekoittumisesta (ks. Kalliokoski 1996;Gilquin & Paquot 2008;Jantunen 2008), sillä puhekielelle tyypillisiä määritteitä tavataan ainestossa myös esimerkiksi tyyliltään kirjakielisimmistä mielipideteksteistä. Vastaavaa on havaittu myös englannin astemääritteiden käytöstä (Lorenz 1999: 215;Hinkel 2003).…”