Skip to main content

The Relationship Between Lexical Richness and the Quality of CSL Learners’ Oral Narratives

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 13250))

Abstract

The framework of lexical richness proposed by Read (2000) is an important tool for measuring the quality of writing, but this framework has been rarely applied into the metrics of oral narrative quality. Based on the measured data of HSK (Advanced) oral tests, this research selects four dimensions of lexical richness: lexical diversity, lexical sophistication, lexical density and lexical errors and 16 measurement indexes to explore the correlation between lexical richness and the quality of oral narratives. Furthermore, we examine the predictive validity of each index for oral achievements, pick out the key indexes which can reflect the quality of CSL learners’ oral narratives and conduct a regression model. The research results show that Guiraud index, the ratio of lexical errors, the ratio of level C vocabularies and lexical density III can effectively test the quality of oral narratives.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   89.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Corpus Word Parser is from WWW.CNCORPUS.ORG.

References

  1. Wolfe-Quintero, K., Inagaki, S., Kim, H.: Second Language Development in Writing: Measures of Fluency, Accuracy, and Complexity. University of Hawaii, National Foreign Language Resource Center (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Read, J.: Assessing Vocabulary. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Arnaud, P.: The lexical richness of L2 written productions and the validity of vocabulary tests. In: Culhane, T., Klein-Braley, C., Stevenson, D.K. (eds.) Practice and Problems in Language Testing, pp. 14–28. University of Essex, Colchester (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Laufer, B., Nation, P.: Vocabulary size and use: lexical richness in l2 written production. Appl. Linguis. 3, 307–322 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Lu, X.-F.: Relationship of lexical richness to the quality of ESL learners’ oral narratives. Mod. Lang. J. 96(2), 190–208 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Wang, Y.: The correlation between lexical richness and writing score of CSL learner—the multivariable linear regression model and equation of writing quality. Appl. Linguis. 2, 93–101 (2017). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Eckstein, G., Ferris, D.: Comparing L1 and L2 texts and writers in first-year composition. TESOL Quar. 52(1), 137–162 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Zhang, H.-P.: On developmental features of lexical richness in EFL writings by Chinese beginner learners of English. Mod. Foreign Lang. 43(4), 529–540 (2020). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Zhu, H.-M., Wang, J.-J.: Developmental features of lexical richness in English writing: a self-built corpus-based longitudinal study. Foreign Lang. World 6, 77–86 (2013). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Astika, G.G.: Analytical assessments of foreign students’ writing. RELC J. 24(1), 61–70 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Liu, D.-H.: The influence of vocabulary size on EFL writing. Mod. Foreign Lang. 2, 180–187 (2003). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Tan, X.-C.: A study of Chinese English learners’ productive vocabulary development. Foreign Lang. Teach. Res. 3, 202–207+241 (2006). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Wu, J.-F.: Research on lexical richness development in CSL writing by English native speakers. Chin. Teach. World 2, 129–142 (2016). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Guiraud, H.: Les Caractères Statistiques du Vocabulaire. Presses Universitaires de France, Paris (1954)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Dugast, D.: Sur Quoi Se Fonde La Notion D’étendue Théoretique Du Vocabulaire. Le Francais Moderne 46(1), 25–32 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Malvern, D.D., Richards, B.J., Chipere, N., Durán, P.: Lexical Diversity and Language Development: Quantification and Assessment. Palgrave Macmillan, Houndmills (2004)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  17. Ure, J.: Lexical density and register differentiation. In: Perren, G., Trim, J.: Applications of Linguistics: Selected Papers of the Second International Congress of Applied Linguistics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Halliday, M.A.K.: Spoken and Written Language. Deakin University Press, Victoria (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Huang, L, Qian, X.-J.: An inquiry into Chinese learners’ knowledge of productive vocabulary: a quantitative study. Chin. Lang. Learn. 1, 56–61 (2003). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Engber, C.A.: The relationship of lexical proficiency to the quality of ESL composition. J. Second. Lang. Writ. 4(2), 139–155 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. National Chinese Proficiency Test Committee Office Test Center: Chinese Proficiency Vocabulary and Grade Outline of Chinese Characters. Economic Science Press, Beijing (2001). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Institute of Linguistics.: Modern Chinese Dictionary. Commercial Press, Beijing (2016). (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the Key Projects of National Social Science Fund of China (Award Number 17AYY011). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of National Social Science Fund of China. We would like to thank the examines and test centers who helped us gather the data.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xingsan Chai .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Ma, Q., Chai, X. (2022). The Relationship Between Lexical Richness and the Quality of CSL Learners’ Oral Narratives. In: Dong, M., Gu, Y., Hong, JF. (eds) Chinese Lexical Semantics. CLSW 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 13250. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06547-7_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06547-7_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-06546-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-06547-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics