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Visual representation techniques in applied linguistics for educational purposes

An article by Sergi Torner (UPF) and Blanca Arias-Badia (UAB) published in the International Journal of Lexicography explores the potential of using graphic representations of collocational networks to display words that go together and form idiomatic expressions, in order to facilitate language learning in online dictionaries.

31.01.2020

Imatge inicial

In linguistics, collocations are common lexical combinations whose parts attract each other and build up meaning; for example, we have expressions like crua realitat ('harsh reality'), poble de mala mort ('one-horse/god-forsaken town'), and many others. Speech, whether specialized or general, is organized according to collocational patterns which can be represented as a network of words that combine. Recent studies on visualization techniques have proposed that visual networks may be a useful resource not only for information retrieval, but also to represent lexical relations in dictionaries, corpora or further reference works.

In fact, visual representation techniques are commonly used to convey complex information, i.e., they are not exclusive to applied linguistics. A study published in the International Journal of Lexicography explores the potential of using collocational networks as a tool for representing word combinations in an online dictionary. The article has been written by Sergi Torner, a researcher in the Department of Translation and Language Sciences at UPF, and Blanca Arias-Badia, a researcher at the UAB.

This paper explores the potential of collocational networks as key lexicographical tools to represent information about lexical combinatorics

Texts are arranged in lexical patterns

In texts, words are related to one another and build phrasal relations. It has been noted that collocational networks, which had initially been used as a means of identifying collocations in large corpora, may assist non-expert dictionary users in text production. Visual networks do not only allow them to easily find the collocates they were looking for, but also provide the grammatical information needed to use collocations accurately. Although the paper focuses on the study of Spanish, “the kinds of challenges encountered when facing the problem of representing collocational information with networks are common to any language”, Torner and Arias-Badia point out.

The project “La representación de la combinación léxica en los diccionarios de aprendizaje: nuevos métodos para nuevos diccionarios”, of which Sergi Torner was principal investigator (2013-2016), was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. It aimed to develop a proposal for the representation of lexical combinatorics by means of collocational networks. Although the project dealt mainly with lexicography for the purposes of foreign language learning, the results of the project could be of interest for both lexicographers and experts in information visualization techniques.

For this project, a database was created with productive lexical combinatorics for a B2-C1 level of Spanish as a foreign language. 707 lexicographical sheets were compiled, each containing data to create a collocational network for 534 different lemmas.

Information on collocations is crucial for learning languages

Research on the learning of lexical combinatorics has drawn attention to the fact that second language learners find it difficult to produce correct word combinations. But information on collocations is crucial for language learning: several studies have shown that mastering lexical combinatorics promotes naturalness and fluency in spoken and written foreign language production.

Several studies have shown that mastering lexical combinatorics promotes naturalness and fluency in spoken and written foreign language production.

Also, many studies have discussed the use of dictionaries for foreign language learning purposes, which has paved the way for dictionaries to be specifically designed to develop collocational skills. Thus, in their work the authors state that their proposal is mainly intended to be implemented in learning dictionaries, although it may also be useful for general dictionaries.

 “We start from the premise that, when used as an information representation tool in dictionaries designed for non-specialist users, networks can facilitate access to lexical combinatorics and enrich dictionary content, thus better meet potential user needs”, the authors state. 

A degree of simplification is needed to provide the information, since the number of potential collocations for most words in a given language can be very high. Therefore, the authors propose a series of recommendations to improve currently available collocational networks by incorporating information visualization techniques. Specifically, they suggest a number of measures that can be taken to simplify access to the information provided by raw output from corpora and to enrich such collocational data by means of visually-explained relevant grammatical information.

Reference work:

Sergi Torner, Blanca Arias-Badia (2019), “Visual Networks As a Means of Representing Collocational Information in Electronic Dictionaries”, International Journal of Lexicography, 32:3, September 2019, pp. 270–295,  https://doi.org/10.1093/ijl/ecz009

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