Lexical fixedness and compositionality in L1 speakers’ and L2 learners’ intuitions about word combinations

Evidence from Italian

Dados Bibliográficos

ID11655759
AutoresIrene Fioravanti (0000-0001-5182-9394, University for Foreigners of Siena, autor correspondente), Marco S G Senaldi (0000-0003-2205-3843, McGill University), Alessandro Lenci (0000-0001-5790-4308, University of Pisa), Anna Siyanova‐chanturia (0000-0002-8336-8569, Ocean University of China), Anna Siyanova-Chanturia (Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand; Ocean University of China, China)
Ano2020
Volume37
Fascículo2
Páginas291-322
Data de publicação2020-08-18
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoSecond language Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0267-6583 • E-ISSN: 1477-0326
EditoraSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0267658320941560
OpenAlexW3058304167
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas4
Referências citadas49

The present investigation focuses on first language (L1) and second language (L2) speakers’ sensitivity to lexical fixedness and compositionality of Italian word combinations. Two studies explored language users’ intuitions about three types of word combinations: free combinations, collocations, and idioms. In Study 1, Italian Verb+Noun combinations were embedded in sentential contexts, with control conditions created by substituting the verb with a synonym. L1 and L2 speakers rated sentence acceptability. In Study 2, the original verb was removed from sentences. Participants chose the verb from the list provided they felt was most acceptable. Computational measures were used to measure compositionality of word combinations. Mixed-effects modelling revealed that L1 and L2 speakers judged target word combinations differently in terms of lexical fixedness. In line with phraseological models, L1 speakers judged the use of a synonym as less acceptable in collocations than free combinations. On the contrary, L2 learners judged the use of a synonym as more acceptable in collocations than free combinations. However, all participants perceived idioms as least flexible of the three combination types. Results further showed an interesting effect of compositionality on the speakers’ intuitions about the use of word combinations. Taken together, the findings provide new insights into how L1 and L2 speakers perceive word combinations that vary along the continua of lexical fixedness and compositionality

Lexical density · Lexical item · Linguistics · Natural language processing · Noun · Principle of compositionality · Sentence · Verb · Computer Science · linguistics and terminology studies · Natural Language Processing Techniques · Psychology · Second Language Acquisition and Learning · Artificial Intelligence