Vocabulary acquisition is crucial for second and foreign language learning, as emphasized in our last article. We need to grow and cultivate our vocabulary to progress in our language studies, but how does it actually happen? When can you say you have successfully learned a new word? This article will examine these questions, which are worthy of consideration – not just in a theoretical sense, but because a basic understanding of the vocabulary acquisition process is highly important for establishing…
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Words Will Get You Far: Why Is Vocabulary Acquisition So Important in Second and Foreign Language Learning?
February 25, 2013As discussed in the first post, vocabulary was for long an overlooked aspect of learning a new language. During the last decades, however, the vocabulary has moved from the periphery into a central position. Even a quick look at the recent linguistic research (1) reveals that more and more attention has been given to this disregarded “Cinderella of foreign language learning” (2). We find this attention truly well-deserved, as we are confident that vocabulary, including not just words but also…