The following paper consisting of three main parts, namely an analytical, a didactic and an empirical section, seeks an approach to second language learners’ acquisition and comprehension of certain word-formation rules. The study is based on questionnaires filled in by students of the grammar school Martin-Luther-Schule Marburg who are taking English as their special subject. The thirteenth graders are all German native speakers who have been taught English since the fifth grade. If word-formation is integrated into school lessons – at least to some extent – as curriculum and pedagogical literature demand the students, being advanced learners should have some analytical knowledge about the features of common English affixes and be able to apply their skills to the three tasks they are given in the questionnaires. These tasks demand receptive and productive skills which will be illustrated in detail in the empirical part where the survey is evaluated.
The pedagogical opinion in research literature towards teaching word-formation in school will be discussed in more detail so that a comparison between theory and practice can be drawn. A vital point at issue will be the character of teaching word-formation in school. As usual, opinions are divided here. It is a major aim of this paper to defend an approach which is still fairly unpopular, namely an approach that includes productive aspects into the teaching of word-formation in school. Most educationalists still prefer an exclusively receptive approach as the discussion in the pedagogical part will show.
As far as the linguistic analysis is concerned, it will be looked at adjectival suffixation. The suffixes being investigated in detail are German L1 suffixes -ig, -isch, and -lich as well as English L2 suffixes -ed, -ic, -ish and -ly. The high productivity of these suffixes will be shown whereas the term productivity is to be defined beforehand. Each suffix will be carefully described with regard to semantic, syntactic, morphological and phonological aspects. Of course, it will be dealt with relevant aspects only. Questions such as whether an adjective can be used attributively, adverbially and predicatively are not taken into consideration because they do not play a role for the formation of words. Moreover, it is not talked about phonological constraints because none of the affixes treated here seems to be subject to phonological restrictions. Therefore, it is only talked about the phonological effects the suffixes have on their bases.
On the basis of such a description a contrastive analysis can be established. As contrastive analysis has been severely criticized for its tendency towards over- and underprediction of mistakes for years (cf. Kühlwein 1984: 314) it will be highly interesting to see from the results of the students’ questionnaires if the mistakes predicted by the contrastive analysis are really made by the learner or if perhaps unpredicted ones materialise. As I intend to become a school teacher for English and German the results of this study turn out to be not only very interesting but practically useful as well.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Linguistic Analysis of Selected Adjective Suffixes
- 2.1. Description of German L1 suffixes
- 2.1.1. The suffix -ig
- 2.1.2. The suffix -isch
- 2.1.3. The suffix -lich
- 2.2. Description of English L2 suffixes
- 2.2.1. The suffix -ed
- 2.2.2. The suffix -ic
- 2.2.3. The suffix -ish
- 2.2.4. The suffix -ly
- 2.3. Contrastive analysis of German and English suffixes
- 2.1. Description of German L1 suffixes
- 3. Pedagogical Aspects of Teaching Word-Formation in School
- 3.1. Goals and advantages of teaching word-formation
- 3.2. Word-formation: a means to teach receptive and productive skills?
- 3.3. Which word-formation patterns are to be taught and how?
- 4. The Survey and Its Evaluation
- 4.1. Completion task
- 4.2. Comprehensive task
- 4.3. Translation task
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper investigates second language learners' acquisition and comprehension of word-formation rules, focusing on adjectival suffixes in English as a foreign language. It combines linguistic analysis with pedagogical considerations and empirical findings from a survey of German-speaking high school students. The study aims to explore the effectiveness of teaching productive (as opposed to solely receptive) word-formation skills. * Linguistic analysis of German and English adjectival suffixes. * Pedagogical approaches to teaching word-formation in the classroom. * Comparison of receptive and productive word-formation skills. * Empirical evaluation of student performance on word-formation tasks. * Contrastive analysis of German and English suffixation patterns.Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the entire paper. It outlines the study's methodology—a three-part approach encompassing linguistic analysis, didactic considerations, and empirical research based on questionnaires administered to advanced English learners at the Martin-Luther-Schule Marburg. The chapter highlights the central research question: how effectively do advanced learners acquire and apply knowledge of English word-formation rules, and should productive skills be emphasized in pedagogical approaches? It also previews the key linguistic elements (German and English adjectival suffixes) and the core pedagogical debate surrounding receptive versus productive approaches to word-formation instruction. The chapter firmly positions the paper within the existing literature on the topic, thereby situating the study within a broader academic framework. 2. Linguistic Analysis of Selected Adjective Suffixes: This chapter provides a detailed linguistic analysis of selected German and English adjectival suffixes. It meticulously examines the semantic scope, morphological and syntactic constraints, and phonological effects of German suffixes (-ig, -isch, -lich) and English suffixes (-ed, -ic, -ish, -ly). The analysis systematically explores each suffix's characteristics, offering a comprehensive overview of their usage and function within their respective languages. A contrastive analysis comparing the German and English suffixes is also included, highlighting similarities and differences. This in-depth analysis forms the foundation for the subsequent pedagogical discussion and the interpretation of the empirical findings. Each suffix’s individual characteristics are detailed, forming a rich foundation for the comparative analysis. The chapter’s thoroughness provides a solid base for understanding the complexities of adjectival suffixation in both languages. 3. Pedagogical Aspects of Teaching Word-Formation in School: This chapter delves into the pedagogical aspects of teaching word-formation in English as a foreign language. It critically examines current educational practices and debates surrounding the optimal methods for teaching word-formation, especially the debate concerning receptive versus productive approaches. The chapter outlines the potential benefits of incorporating productive word-formation activities into the curriculum. It explores how these approaches can enhance both receptive and productive language skills among students. The chapter sets the stage for analyzing the results of the empirical study in the following chapter and provides a framework for understanding the pedagogical implications of the research. The emphasis is on the balance between receptive and productive approaches and how they can be synergistically implemented in a classroom setting. 4. The Survey and Its Evaluation: This chapter presents the results of the empirical study conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the discussed teaching methods. It details the design and administration of three different tasks designed to assess both receptive and productive word-formation skills: a completion task, a comprehensive task, and a translation task. The chapter provides a detailed analysis of the students’ performance on each task, presenting the quantitative data and drawing significant qualitative observations. The comprehensive analysis assesses both the students’ strengths and weaknesses in applying the knowledge of the word-formation rules discussed in previous chapters. This in-depth analysis provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of different pedagogical approaches. The findings directly address the core research question.Keywords
Adjectival suffixation, word-formation, contrastive analysis, English as a foreign language, second language acquisition, pedagogical approaches, receptive skills, productive skills, empirical research, German-English language comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the focus of this paper?
This paper investigates second language learners' acquisition and comprehension of word-formation rules, specifically focusing on adjectival suffixes in English as a foreign language (EFL) for German-speaking learners. It combines linguistic analysis, pedagogical considerations, and empirical findings from a survey of German-speaking high school students to explore the effectiveness of teaching productive (versus solely receptive) word-formation skills.
What is the methodology used in this study?
The study employs a three-part methodology: (1) Linguistic analysis of German and English adjectival suffixes; (2) Examination of pedagogical approaches to teaching word-formation in the classroom; and (3) Empirical evaluation of student performance on word-formation tasks through a survey administered to advanced English learners at the Martin-Luther-Schule Marburg. The survey included a completion task, a comprehensive task, and a translation task.
Which suffixes are analyzed in the linguistic analysis?
The linguistic analysis focuses on selected German and English adjectival suffixes. Specifically, the German suffixes -ig, -isch, and -lich are examined, along with the English suffixes -ed, -ic, -ish, and -ly. A contrastive analysis compares the features and functions of these suffixes across the two languages.
What pedagogical aspects are considered?
The study critically examines current educational practices and debates surrounding the optimal methods for teaching word-formation in EFL. It explores the potential benefits of incorporating productive word-formation activities into the curriculum and analyzes the debate between receptive and productive approaches to teaching word-formation, aiming to determine the best balance between the two for optimal learning.
What are the key findings of the empirical study?
The empirical study, detailed in Chapter 4, presents the results of the survey administered to the students. It analyzes student performance on the completion, comprehensive, and translation tasks, providing both quantitative and qualitative data to assess the effectiveness of different pedagogical approaches and to address the central research question concerning the effectiveness of teaching productive word-formation skills.
What are the main themes explored in the paper?
The key themes include: linguistic analysis of German and English adjectival suffixes; pedagogical approaches to teaching word-formation; comparison of receptive and productive word-formation skills; empirical evaluation of student performance on word-formation tasks; and a contrastive analysis of German and English suffixation patterns.
What is the overall research question addressed by this paper?
The central research question is: How effectively do advanced learners acquire and apply knowledge of English word-formation rules, and should productive skills be emphasized in pedagogical approaches?
Where was the empirical study conducted?
The empirical study was conducted at the Martin-Luther-Schule Marburg with advanced English learners.
What types of tasks were included in the student survey?
The survey included three types of tasks: a completion task, a comprehensive task, and a translation task, designed to assess both receptive and productive word-formation skills.
What are the keywords associated with this paper?
Adjectival suffixation, word-formation, contrastive analysis, English as a foreign language, second language acquisition, pedagogical approaches, receptive skills, productive skills, empirical research, German-English language comparison.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Ilona Gaul (Autor:in), 2006, Productive word-formation (adjectives) in foreign language teaching: Linguistic analysis and pedagogical aspects, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/79667
