Lexicogrammar: Exploring the Role of Chunking in Language

1. Lecture 5 Lexicogrammar—a new perspective to language Luo Ling 109883613@qq.com 1376774196

2. Outline • Lexico-grammar • Lexical chunks and the role of chunking

3. Lexicogrammar • Lexicogrammar is a term peculiar to systemic functional linguistics. It was coined by Michael Halliday, the father of systemic functional linguistics, to describe the continuity between grammar and lexis. • For many linguists, grammar and lexis are discrete. But Halliday brings them together with this term, and he describes the relation of grammar to lexis as one of a 'cline', and therefore, one of 'delicacy'. • 'The grammarian's dream is...to turn the whole of linguistic form into grammar, hoping to show that lexis can be defined as "most delicate grammar“ (Halliday, 1961).

4. The role of chunking • Developed by Michael Lewis in the early 1990s. • Lexis is the basis of language • Language consists of grammaticalised lexis, not lexicalised grammar. • The grammar/vocabulary dichotomy is invalid; much language consists of multi-words 'chunks'. • Collocation is used as an organizing principle. • Successful language is a wider concept than accurate language.

5. Lexical chunks • 'prefabricated phrases’ • 'lexical phrases’ • 'formulaic language’ • 'frozen and semi-frozen phrases’ • 'lexical chunks' • 'collocations’ • any pair or group of words which is commonly found together, or in close proximity.

6. Lexical chunks • The principles of the Lexical Approach have [been around] since Michael Lewis published 'The Lexical Approach' [10 years ago]. • [It seems, however, that] many teachers and researchers do not [have a clear idea of] what the Lexical Approach actually • [looks like] [in practice]

7. Two types of lexical chunks • Lexical chunks • (not collocations) • by the way • up to now • upside down • If I were you • a long way off • out of my mind • combines a lexical content word and a grammar function word. • Lexical chunks • Collocations • totally convinced • strong accent • terrible accident • sense of humour • sounds exciting • brings good luck • a pair of lexical content words commonly found together

8. More taxonomy of the chunks • ·polywords • (e.g., by the way, upside down) • ·collocations, or word partnerships • (e.g., community service, absolutely convinced) • ·institutionalized utterances • (e.g., I’ll get it; We’ll see; That’ll do; If I were you . . .; Would you like a cup of coffee?) • ·sentence frames and heads • (e.g., That is not as . . . as you think; The fact/suggestion/problem/danger was . . .) and even text frames (e.g., In this paper we explore . . .; Firstly . . .; Secondly . . .; Finally . . .)

9. The role of lexical chunks for language acquisition • Lexical units appears • to satisfy the individual’s communicative needs at a given moment • able to be reused later • to ease the load of memory • to be more native-like and error-free, to avoid Chinglish

10. Chunks and chunking • The notion of chunking has been at the core of short-term memory research since Miller first proposed the term.

11. Chunks and chunking • While the chunk capacity of short-term memory is fairly constant at representational process at 7+2 units, its informational capacity can be increased by chunking, a useful representational process in that low-level features that co-occur can be organized together and recalled as an individual entity.

12. Chunks and chunking • Chunking implies the ability to build such structure, and thus leading to a hierarchical organization of memory.

13. Chunking strategies • Intensive and extensive listening and reading in the target language. • First and second language comparisons and translation—carried out in a chunk-for-chunk, rather than word-for-word fashion—aiming at raising language awareness.

14. Repetition and recycling of activities, such as summarizing a text orally one day and again a few days later to keep words and expressions that have been learned active. • Guessing the meaning of vocabulary items from context. • Noticing and recording language patterns and collocations. • Working with dictionaries and other reference tools.

15. Thank you!