Predicting L2 Writing Proficiency Using Linguistic Complexity Measures: A Corpus-Based Study
1
조회
0
다운로드
33
인용
0
참고문헌
키워드
초록
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether second language writings at different proficiency levels can be distinguished using automatic indices of linguistic complexity. For this study, 35 linguistic measures in 234 essays selected from the Yonsei English Learner Corpus were analyzed in order to identify the best indicators of L2 writing proficiency among the three categories: text length, lexical complexity, and syntactic complexity. The key to this study is the use of computational tools, the L2 Syntactic Complexity Analyzer and the Lexical Complexity Analyzer, which measure different linguistic features of the target language, and a robust statistical method, discriminant function analysis. Results showed that automatic computational tools indicated different uses of linguistic features across L2 writers’ proficiency levels. Specifically, more proficient writers produced longer texts, used more diverse vocabulary, and showed the ability to write more words per sentence and more complex nominalizations. These findings can offer a window to understanding the linguistic features that distinguish L2 writing proficiency levels and to the possibility of using the new computational tools for analyzing L2 learner corpus data.
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether second language writings at different proficiency levels can be distinguished using automatic indices of linguistic complexity. For this study, 35 linguistic measures in 234 essays selected from the Yonsei English Learner Corpus were analyzed in order to identify the best indicators of L2 writing proficiency among the three categories: text length, lexical complexity, and syntactic complexity. The key to this study is the use of computational tools, the L2 Syntactic Complexity Analyzer and the Lexical Complexity Analyzer, which measure different linguistic features of the target language, and a robust statistical method, discriminant function analysis. Results showed that automatic computational tools indicated different uses of linguistic features across L2 writers’ proficiency levels. Specifically, more proficient writers produced longer texts, used more diverse vocabulary, and showed the ability to write more words per sentence and more complex nominalizations. These findings can offer a window to understanding the linguistic features that distinguish L2 writing proficiency levels and to the possibility of using the new computational tools for analyzing L2 learner corpus data.
참고문헌 (37)
- Ai, H., "Automatic treatment and analysis of learner corpus data", pp.249~264 (2013), John Benjamins
- Artstein, R., "Inter-coder agreement for computational linguistics", Computational Linguistics, 34(4), pp.555~596 (2008)
- Becker, A., "Distinguishing linguistic and discourse features in ESL students’written performance", Modern Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2, pp.406~424 (2010)
- Biber, D., "Should we use characteristics of conversation to measure grammatical complexity in L2 writing development?", TESOL Quarterly, 45, pp.5~35 (2011)
- 최재웅, "대학생 영어 학습자 작문 코퍼스에 대한 주제별 분류: 계층적 군집화", 언어정보, 17(17), pp.93~115 (2013), 언어정보연구소
- Crossley, S. A., "Computational assessment of lexical differences in L1 and L2 writing", Journal of Second Language Writing, 18(2), pp.119~135 (2009)
- Crossley, S. A., "Shared features of L2 writing : Intergroup homogeneity and text classification", Journal of Second Language Writing, 20(4), pp.271~285 (2011)
- Crossley, S. A., "Predicting second language writing proficiency : the roles of cohesion and linguistic sophistication", Journal of Research in Reading, 35(2), pp.115~135 (2012)
- Crossley, S. A., "Applications of text analysis tools for spoken response grading", Language Learning & Technology, 17(2), pp.171~192 (2013)
- Crossley, S. A., "Predicting the proficiency level of language learners using lexical indices", Language Testing, 29(2), pp.243~263 (2012)
- Crossley, S. A., "The development of writing proficiency as a function of grade level : A linguistic analysis", Written Communication, 28(3), pp.282~311 (2011)
- Ericsson, K. A., "Cambridge handbook of expertise and expert performance", pp.685~706 (2006), Cambridge University Press
- Espada-Gustilo, L., "Linguistic features that impact essay scores : A corpus linguistic analysis of ESL writing in three proficiency levels", The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 17(1), pp.55~64 (2011)
- Ferris, D. R., "Lexical and syntactic features of ESL writing by students at different levels of L2 proficiency", TESOL Quarterly, 28(2), pp.414~420 (1994)
- Frase, L. T., "Computer analysis of the TOEFL test of written English" (1999), Educational Testing Service
- Grant, L., "Using computer-tagged linguistic features to describe L2writing differences", Journal of Second Language Writing, 9(2), pp.123~145 (2000)
- Green, C., "A computational investigation of cohesion and lexical network density in L2 writing", English Language Teaching, 5(8), pp.58~69 (2012)
- Jarvis, S., "Exploring multiple profiles of highly rated learner compositions", Journal of Second Language Writing, 12(4), pp.377~403 (2003)
- Klein, D., "Accurate unlexicalized parsing", ACL 2003Proceedings of the 41st Annual Meeting on Association for Computational Linguistics 1, pp.423~430 (2003)
- Leech, G., "Word frequencies in written and spoken English : based on the British National Corpus" (2001), Longman
- Levy, R., "Tregex and Tsurgeon: Tools for querying and manipulating tree data structures", In Proceedings of the fifth international conference on Language Resources and Evaluation, pp.2231~2234 (2006)
- Linnarud, M., "Lexis in composition: A performance analysis of Swedish learners'written English" (1986), Liber Fölag Malmo
- Lu, X., "Automatic analysis of syntactic complexity in second language writing", International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, 15(4), pp.474~496 (2010)
- Lu, X., "A corpus‐based evaluation of syntactic complexity measures as indices of college‐level ESL writers' language development", TESOL Quarterly, 45(1), pp.36~62 (2011)
- Lu, X., "The relationship of lexical richness to the quality of ESL learners’ oral narratives", The Modern Language Journal, 96(2), pp.190~208 (2012)
- McNamara, D. S., "Linguistic features of writing quality", Written Communication, 27(1), pp.57~86 (2010)
- Ortega, L., "Syntactic complexity measures and their relationship to L2 proficiency : A research synthesis of college‐level L2 writing", Applied linguistics, 24(4), pp.492~518 (2003)
- 박수경, "Lexical Analysis of Korean University Students’ Narrative and Argumentative Essays", 영어교육, 68(3), pp.131~157 (2013), 한국영어교육학회
- 박선영, "A Corpus-Based Study of Syntactic Complexity Measures as Developmental Indices of College-Level L2 Learners’ Proficiency in Writing", 응용언어학, 28(3), pp.139~160 (2012), 한국응용언어학회
- Read, J., "Assessing vocabulary" (2000), Oxford, Oxford University Press
- Rhee, S. C., "English Learner Corpus (YELC)", Paper presented at the First Yonsei Corpus Symposium (2012)
- Richards, B., "Type", token ratios: What do they really tell us?, 1987, pp.14, 201~209
- Smart, J., "Complexity in lower-level L2 writing:Reconsidering the T-unit", Paper presented at the meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (2009)
- Tabachnick, B. G., "Using multivariate statistics" (2011), Allyn & Bacon
- Templin, M., "Certain language skills in children: Their development and interrelationships" (1957), The University of Minnesota Press
- Vermeer, A., "Coming to grips with lexical richness in spontaneous speech data", Language Testing, 17, pp.65~83 (2000)
- Wolfe-Quintero, K., "Second language development in writing: Measures of fluency, accuracy, & complexity (No. 17)" (1998), University of Hawaii Press