Formulaicity of Language: Its Pervasiveness and the Processing Advantage in Language Use

概要

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Language makes extensive use of formulaic sequences, such as in other words or as soonas, which are typically described as multiword expressions that are stored, retrieved andprocessed as a single lexical unit. It is now widely acknowledged that the appropriate use offormulae and collocation is a prerequisite for proficient language use (Sinclair, 1991; Wray,2002). Accumulating research shows that a word in a formulaic sequence is processed fasterthan the same word in a non-formulaic sequence, suggesting that there is a processingadvantage for formulaic language use. It is yet to be known, however, if there is apsychological validity of formulaic sequences in the human mind, as the studies do notdemonstrate clear-cut results (Schmitt, Grandage & Adolphos, 2004; Schmitt & Underwood,2004; Underwood, Schmitt & Galpin, 2004; Jiang & Nekrasova, 2007; Conklin & Schmitt,2008). In the research of second language (L2) acquisition, language learners are oftenreported to have problems with these multiword expressions (Howarth, 1998; Nesselhauf,2003; among others), leading me to suggest that the intervention of language teaching shouldplay a crucial part in the development of these properties. Considering the relationshipbetween formulaicity and creativity of language, I conclude by proposing that a model whichcould accommodate both idiomaticity and novelty of human language at the same level wouldbe necessary for the development of L2 research.
2012-03-20