Volume 29, Issue 2
DOI: 10.24205/03276716.2020.283
PSYCHOLOGICAL REPRESENTATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISM OF WORD-MAKING ERRORS OF ENGLISH LEARNERS
Abstract
Word-making errors refer to the incorrect words coined by language learners based on the existing lexical library and rules. This type of errors represents the level of language learners in psychologicalrepresentation of vocabulary knowledge. This paper probes deep into the psychological representation and psychological mechanism of word-making errors of English learners, aiming to identify the logical process of vocabulary learning. Both double-factor and one-factor experiments were carried out to verify the feasibility of second language (L2) vocabulary development model for psychological representation, explore the development of main categories of word-making errors, and find out the psychological mechanism of English learners in making word-making errors. The results show that the L2 vocabulary development model has three stages of development for psychological representation, and applies to English learners; the lexical library of the first language (L1)serves as an important medium for the cognition of English learners; the vocabulary acquisition ofEnglishlearnersimproveswiththelanguageacquisitionlevelinthemultiple-to-one and multiple-to-multiple contexts. The research results provide the linguistic rules of English vocabulary learning, and clarify the psychological changes of English learners in vocabulary acquisition.
Keywords
English Vocabulary, Psychological Representation, Word-Making Errors, Psychological Mechanism.