Lexical Knowledge and Korean EFL Learners' Vocabulary Acquisition

Abstract

This paper investigated the effects of two types of lexical knowledge, knowledge of meaning and knowledge of form, on the process of Korean EFL learners' vocabulary learning. For more precise description of the learning process, this research also adopted a lexical unit suggested by Cruse (1986) as the linguistic primary unit, which is a more functionally differentiated unit than a word. With test materials chosen through pretests, one hundred fifty two intermediate level students attending Seoul National University participated in three experiment to examine whether or not knowledge of meaning and knowledge of form makes it easer for L2 learners to acquire new lexical units. The results showed that overall knowledge of meaning and knowledge of form significantly contributes to L2 learners' acquisition of new lexical units. However, knowledge of form is helpful for L2 learner's short-term memory, on the other hand, knowledge of meaning is beneficial to their long-term memory as well as short-term memory in learning vocabulary.